Wow. This movie was such a pleasant surprise. I have to admit that I watched most of it with bated breath and I really shouldn't have because all my nervousness was self-inflicted; all those Asian dramas and cliches had trained me to recognize all my most hated tropes: evil second female leads, misunderstandings...and it turned out that this movie didn't have any of those stupid issues.

This movie actually wasn't dramatic at all — it's really just a heart-warming, adorable story about a shy girl who comes into herself, makes friends, and happens to fall in love along the way. There are no evil villains, the side characters are kind-hearted and fantastic, and the development just felt natural; I kept thinking that if this was a full-length drama we could've gotten even more time dedicated to character development and the forming of friendships (meaning I'll probably be watching the anime soon).

Speaking of which, the way they emphasized friendships in this was so refreshing as well. One of my pet peeves is when romance is treated as this "personality fixer" and I absolutely loved that it was friendships that started to bring her out of her shell and not a crush.

Honestly, Sawako as a main character is still much too suppressed and shy for me; I don't really relate to her and at times her social interactions and decision-making got very frustrating, but ultimately I understand it and the way she started standing up for herself and communicating was delightful to watch. She's quiet but not weak by any means.

And now...my favorite part of the entire film. KAZEHAYA. I loved his character so much; this is one of the moments where I wish we got more about his backstory or development but at the same time I don't even mind that we didn't because it was perfect the way it was. The way he not only treated the FL kindly in secret but also openly stood up for her and spent time with her...he was so respectful and it was beautiful to see the part he played in Sawako's story.

Anyways — adorable movie, I suggest watching this film with a light heart and optimism.