Given Movie 3: Umi e

Given Movie 3: Umi e continues the story after the events of Hiiragi Mix and serves as the final installment of the Given anime series. It perfectly blends drama and music, showcasing the emotional journeys of the characters and concluding in a beautiful and heartfelt way. Director Noriko Hashimoto does it justice.

The story is all about accepting and cherishing the connections we hold dear. It adapts the last two volumes (9 chapters) of the manga into 1h20mins. Though slow-paced, it never feels boring. Instead, it gently grabs your hand, takes you on an unforgettable and beautiful ride, and gives you time to savor each moment, ... allowing full immersion in the characters' journeys. Comedy doesn’t work most of the time, and the film leans more toward drama than BL romance. The conclusion is bittersweet, emotional, and satisfying, leaving you with a sense of closure while still longing for more.

"Even if it’s lonely, even if I'm not able to meet again, from now on- even if I lose my form- I believe that if I have the music, then all the memories will remain inside the song."
— Mafuyu
Mafuyu’s character development is the highlight of the story. Uenoyama still gets his time to shine, whereas Haruki and Kaji have less screen time.

The art is good - especially the cityscapes, which feel cozy, thanks to the color design by Hiroaki Kaguchi. The characters’ expressions are on point, but the animation is a bit inconsistent and could’ve been better, considering this is the series finale. There are still frames at odd times, which give a sense of reality. Still, Lerche did a great job.

Sound design by Hiromi Kikuta is decent, and the voice acting is excellent. The music by Centimillimental is outstanding it elevates the narrative, blending evocative lyrics with lush melodies. Ending the credits with the line "If I don't forget this song, we'll always be together" hits hard.

"The taste of my tears is telling me various thoughts that come across the overflowing meaning of this life."
— Umi e by syh

Fun fact: Video production was done in cooperation with Spotify O-East, Shibuya - so the logo isn’t censored.