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| THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE. ---------------------------------------- I've always thought Kimagure Orange Road would have been even better if it just focused on the characters and romance.. and then I saw I Want to Return to That Day. The KOR movie strips away all the magic and sci fi aspects and focuses, purely, on the love triangle of Kyosuke, Madoka, and Hikaru. Kyosuke finally makes the inevitable choice and we watch as Hikaru has to deal with the truth, that she already knew, that Madoka is the one he loves. I can't believe it, but I actually felt terrible for Hikaru and I never thought I'd say that. I thought the direction was really well done, even better than the OVA. I also thought the lack of music in key scenes was really well done, though I think that the movie kept repeating itself at some points. But, what was the best thing about this movie? The ending.. I thought it was a great way to end it and, most importantly, it showed that things can never be the same again. I give this movie a 9/10, and consider it the best part of the KOR franchise. I just hope the final movie doesn't screw things up. |
| "Yes, I have been deprived of emotion. But not completely. Whoever did it, botched the job." - Geralt of Rivia |
| This comedy romance with psychic powers just turned extremely serious...^_^! Not like Kimagure Orange Road at all however we finally get a resolution from our beloved Indecisive Psychic Kyosuke. |
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| The first Touch movie getting shown at the cinema, and the Touch love triangle parallel, was a nice touch (pun unintended.) It's a shame that the bit shown contained the movie edited dialogue that went against Minami's character, but that's not KOR's fault, I guess... When Hikaru isn't a plot device, she truly is a stalker - this proved it. And the movie also proved she's a total bitch; not caring at all about her best friend's feelings. Where as Madoka was always considerate and tried her hardest not to upset Hikaru, Hikaru went after Kyosuke, often getting Madoka's help, knowing full well how the other two felt about each other. In my mind, due to a combination of her affection for Kyosuke being as forced as can be ('Wow, he can throw a ball far!!!'), not caring about the feelings of her best friend, and turning into a psycho stalker, she's quite possibly the worst, most hateful character I've ever come across. But, truth be told, Kyosuke didn't deserve Madoka. During the first section, I hated Kyosuke ALMOST as much as Hikaru for continuing to mess around the woman he loved AND kissing another girl. I was thinking of different ways to describe him as trash, at that point. However, even though Madoka needed to phone HIM, after he'd cheated on her, he did earn back some vital points with me for pushing away the plot device bitch from hell; being as cruel as required to get rid of her. It got repetitive quickly - Hikaru always turning up and Kyosuke telling her to fuck off, politely - but I did derive some decent enjoyment out of her suffering. What let the film down was the severe lack of Madoka time. Hikaru got nearly all of the attention, and she was the only one who got a kiss, for some fucked up reason - leaving the kiss not shown in the TV series being the only intimate moment between the leads. I'm struggling to get my head around the fact that, in the true conclusion to the story, the main two never slept together, or got intimate at all. Why wasn't the deal sealed after Kypsuke told Hikaru to GTFO? Near to no KyosukexMadoka scenes + none of the silliness that made the TV series/OVA so good + focus on a poorly executed, should have been resolved near the start of the story love triangle = 7/10, at best. It was a nice concluding chapter to KOR, and the drama was pretty intense, but without the required extra 10-20 minutes dedicated solely on the main relationship, it left me feeling unsatisfied. Now, then... Here's hoping the final movie, and last KOR anime of any type, can satisfy me more than the not-so-great fourth and fifth Touch movies! I want to end the story on a high, non-4/10 note. |
| This movie definitely had a different mood than the usual Kimagure. I really felt bad for Hikaru. The biggest gripe I had for this movie is how much of an asshole Kasuga acted towards Hikaru. I think it would have been much of a better scene if at the end Kasuga gave Hikari the umbrella and at least comfort her and somehow ending their relationship in a nice note. Kinda reminds of White Album 2 the only difference was that in WA2 Im rooting for the "other girl." Time to watch the second movie. Hopefully it ends with a more conclusive ending. |
"I have been wielding a blade since before your were swimming around your father's scrotum." - Kurou |
| They NAILED the drama. And they went NOWHERE near wrong by showing TOUCH. FABULOUS. HIKARU WAS SUCH A SWEET LITTLE ANGEL HERE. Making her cry is a SIN. Speaking of sins--- ---WHERE THE FUCK WAS YUUSAKU??? Yes the fucker's annoying, but YOU CAN'T JUST NOT SHOW SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN HALF THE GODDAMN SHOW. It would make sense that he'd make any attempt, no matter how futile, to comfort her. And who knows, maybe he'd be more mellow about it and Hikaru could have opened up if even just by a tiny bit. but they decided NAH But still gottdamm no more happy days this shit better get really nostalgic by the end |
zetsu_shoren said: ---WHERE THE FUCK WAS YUUSAKU??? by a tiny bit. no more happy days this shit better get really nostalgic by the end A bit more Yûsaku can be seen in the manga, because the love triangle goes further there (yes, the "paper Kasuga" has even bigger decision problems). "happy days" was more "silly days" when you think about their situation and the fact Kyosuke dragged it on a year (even more in the manga). This guy is nice but at the same time has absolutely no consideration for Hikaru's feelings , he simply tries to keep her as a safety/secured road all the time. |
| This movie made me cry. I think we all knew that what happened was inevitable, that Kyosuke was to be with Madoka, and that Hikaru would have to learn the truth. Seeing Hikaru devastated in such a way hurt me so much. I currently have tears in my eyes while typing this post, even. I've seen some posts above where people refer to her as a "stalker," but in reality, her actions were purely human, and I can fully understand why she didn't want to let go. I only wish that Hikaru could've got a "Happy Ending" somehow. At least she did well in the play she starred in. She seemed in high spirits at the very last moment of the movie, right after the credits rolled, so hopefully she can move on in life now, and meet someone else. |
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| This movie is better than the ENTIRE series. The TV series is childish, characters attitudes are childish. In this movie, the selfish character of Hikaru is evident, something that I always felt in the series. She remains childish and selfish here, to the point of not wanting to know what Kasuga really want, and harming his studies too. What boring character! |
| @rodolfoemiliano What about Kyôsuke? Didn't he keep her several years (basically, his entire highschool life) in the blur, sparing himself a cosy little road if any problem happened with Ayukawa? He also "used" her as a way to feel good (having a younger girl looking up to him, adoring him, was a danger as much as a pleasure to him). It was sometimes a contest of selfishness between the triangle's three characters. But it's true that Hikaru is more childish than the others here. On the other hand, she's still the youngest. (forgotten, if she's in highschool or still not there) Good epilogue |
| @Rei366 Yeah, I agree with you. Kyousuke is a dishonest character. It seems that he likes Ayukawa, but not gives up Hikaru. There was several occasions opportunities to ward off Hikaru, using misunderstandings that would simplify the situation. It seems that he wants to deceive the foolish girls. What bothered me in this anime was the way the script was produced. Nothing relevant to the story takes place in the series. However, it does in this movie, so I thought it best that the whole series. And I compared with other series of same time, Maison Ikkoku, and that was best conducted, it ended satisfactorily and was a little less childlike in their characters. |
| @rodolfoemiliano Yes, the series is primarily geared toward Kyôsuke's everyday life as a teenager and an ESPer, using the love triangle only as a thin conducting line. So, for someone following it as a love story, it can be disappointing. The funny thing is it is quite short compared to the manga (who does the same thing over a longer period). The comparison with Maison Ikkoku's characters is a bit unfair because there the "pair" is a girl with an already dead husband and a university-less student. I think it is expected from such characters to be less childlike than two highschoolers and a middle-school girl. I can't really say for the rest, I remembered more the manga (who was terribly long and often stalled) than the animation. @AlexLovesWomen I didn't think Kyôsuke was really thinking so harshly but rather trying to exaggerate his reactions in order to be understood, since Hikaru was clearly not going to comply. |
Rei_IIIDec 15, 2018 10:48 PM
| @Rei366 I see. Maybe I'm being too hard on this series. I'm not a fan of this genre, I saw for nostalgic feeling of the 80s, and because MAL recommend to who saw Maison Ikkoku. I did not expect a love story, but a story with a beginning, middle and end, as Maison. Maybe that's why I've enjoyed more the specials than the show itself. |
| Loved that they showed touch in the cinema. And drew the parallel between them 3 being able to stay together and KOR's trio not. Although Kasuga felt cold at times against Hikari, it had to be done because she just wouldn't give up. 8/10 for me. |
| I really felt bad for Kyosuke. He was put in such a difficult position, and was doing the only thing he could. I thought the drama between him & Hikaru was really well done, though, and pretty realistically written. The movie felt like it was stretched out a bit, though, with some scenes not really adding anything. I definitely think it probably could've been closer to 45 minutes instead of an hour. I also didn't care much for the open-ended nature of the ending. Madoka says "Hikaru's play is opening today", which makes me think Madoka & Kyosuke went to see it together, to support Hikaru and make an earnest attempt to keep her as a friend. However, there's no way to know if this truly did happen... but I think if it did, instead of leaving that up to the viewer to decide, it would've been nice to at least get a shot of the two of them sitting in the audience, and leave the nature of the relationship between those three as the open-ended thing. Would've made for a better ending for sure. The current ending doesn't just feel open-ended, but also anti-climactic. Still, the movie as a whole wasn't bad. Not as good as the TV series, but I enjoyed it. Now, onto the OVA! :D |
::End of Transmission:: What have I been watching? Click here and find out on my viewing blog, "Vigorous Viewing" |
| This movie was better than the show itself, without all the unnecessary elements like that dumb superpowers. Overall, a great ride, I'm gonna watch the second movie as well |
| Hikaru should have stabbed him wtf |
| Feel like this movie was definitely better than the TV Series. Though I didn't like it that Hikura was pretty much the center of attention. Unfortunately we had little to none Madoka/Kyosuke moments. We barely even had any Madoka throughout this movie which hurt. I was actually happy that Kyosuke was being harsh with Hikaru due to the fact that she was being way too stubborn. She refused to respect how he feels. I don't really see the problem with how harsh he was with her. He had no other choice or else Hikaru would continue to get in the way of Kysouke and Madoka's relationship. During the TV Series, Madoka at least respected how Hikaru felt and just stayed on the sidelines. It goes to show what type of person Hikaru is. |
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| When I watched the first 20 so episodes I always said: please Kasuga, make a choice! After I saw the movie: wow, I want to return to the happy atmosphere of the tv series. Felt sad about Hikaru, I thought she could move on but not really. All in all, Madoka lost her best friend, Hikaru lost her best friend and her first love, Kasuga lost his peace of mind (you can tell that he cared about Hikaru but he loved Madoka). The movie felt like Life - the Animation. |
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| This is pure medicine for my soul. KOR would really be the greatest SoL if the characters were like this. But I guess, having a confident and resolute Kasuga would end the TV series in like four episodes. This movie was better than the series itself imo. Loved Kasuga's attitude and no, I don't feel pity for Hikaru. She even went and said "I knew you were in love with Madoka, but wanted to win you over myself", she practically took advantage of his kindness and undecisiveness to reject her. But boy was it so satisfying when he did. And the stalking scenes were terrible, she wouldn't give up. Kasuga made the right decision by repeatedly telling her to go away. That's what he should have done like 40 episodes ago, but I digress. The TV series had its fun parts too. The only thing I wish about this movie was that we didnt get a scene kiss between madoka and kasuga. Other than that, it's pretty satisfying. 9/10 |
AlexLovesWomen said: I STILL think Kasuga was inhumane in this situation. On the other hand, I always viewed Kyôsuke not taking an actual stance toward the two girls as coming partly from a desire to keep his comfort, the "two friendly girls comfort" he lived for a year (or three in the comics!!) and most importantly the reassurance of having a girlfriend around, who was looking up to him and liking him (in case the Ayukawa chance died). Of course, there was obviously the will of not hurting Hikaru (for herself as well as for Ayukawa). Sorry for the digression, I only wanted to say that I tend to fantasize about this series a bit too much. ^^" I hope you'll have a good time with the novel's movie. |
| Eh, you cannot just pick the tsundra. They will push you away, and towards the other one. You need to wait for them to decide. Which is what caused all the drama. I dont feel that bad for hikaru, she is the one who constantly threw her being with DARLING into makoda's face every chance she got. |
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| It was strange seeing them watching Touch in the theater. Fitting though. Anyways, I liked this more than the series. Less of the grating repetitive comedy and straight to the issue at hand. |
| An excellent ending to the neglected love-triangle aspect of the TV series that had the guts to show how badly things would go considering Hikaru's personality. A more typical love triangle resolution where the loser cries for a scene and then wishes the lovers well would have been very bland. Things turns out bad for Hikaru, but it's because she tries to change things just by holding on tightly. It takes a lot for Kyosuke to start to get angry (including her admitting she won't accept his rejection i.e. she doesn't respect his decision) and even then he gets exasperated at her behavior (that's only going to hurt her) and never gets personal (he never says she's annoying for example). Even in their last encounter he avoids going back home arguably so he won't upset her by passing her by (it's not like she could stop him from entering his own home) and kills time in a convenience store instead. On a night when he needed a lot of sleep for a practice exam! I'm very glad it carries on as if Yusaku never existed because he was never possible to take seriously and doesn't fit in this series ending to the story. A little touch I really liked was Umao appearing on the TV as Hikaru flips through it, holding a baby and pleading for Ushiko to come back. That he's saying anything other than his goofy catchphrase is surprising, that Usiko ran out on him is shocking. Appropriate for this downbeat story about failed romance. EGTS1624 said: ...the ABCB talk between Hikaru and Madoka when Madoka says, "I guess it can't be the three of us anymore." Hikaru could justifiably be angry at Madoka for not being honest about her own attraction to Kyosuke and even apparently supporting Hukaru in hers, but to condemn her for not "deserving" Kyosuke is mere bitterness. Her claims to have done a lot for Kyosuke are also fairly absurd. In this movie she brought him a snack (interrupting his studying when he didn't particularly seem worn out; isn't rather she just wanted to see him?) and said she'd cook for him later (but doesn't) and struggled to knit a scarf (with Madoka's pattern and Madoka's needles) which she doesn't finish despite trying to still act like Kyosuke's girlfriend. Her sense of wounded pride here is also mere bitterness. Madoka knows Hikaru well and I think she's recognizing that Hikaru can't forgive her for "winning". Madoka starts the scene off by apologizing, after all, and has a marked facial reaction when she realizes why Hikaru is upset with her. It's Hikaru who can't tolerate a continued friendship between them. One scene is soft-peddling the issue of Madoka and Hikaru's friendship a bit, but it was never very prominent in the TV series and it makes more room for showing how Kyosuke and Hikaru play out so I guess it's OK. |
FronzelAug 11, 2019 3:05 PM
| Ooooh shitt, at least they didn't make her (Hikaru) dumb in this movie,good thing she said "I knew you always loved Ayukawa". Good movie straight to the point. In Real life Ayukawa would be labeled the slut here because she hid it from her best friend. Also even though I don't like to see that annoying goofball Yuusaku,I still wanted to see his reaction at least for a couple of minutes but it's all good. and lol Umao-san and Ushiko-san have a baby now :) |
| The annoying brat who annoyed me for 56 straight episode just tormented my heart and now it's in shatters... I even got teary eyes when she waited in the rain like that... and the fact that she knew all along made it worse I could go own ranting but don't know where I would end up so I end it here... solid movie for me it was a really good ride @ Fmmatron thanks for telling me about it. solid 8/10 |
| Uff... And so the curtain falls(for now, I know there's another sequel movie) I never would've guessed that this one would end on such a bleak note. Hikaru was always that loud, playful little girl. I was rarely annoyed by her, I rather perceived her as charming. Now seeing that very character being left heartbroken after struggling for so long, that was a tough pill to swallow. Although, she surely was obsessive and selfish, I can't really hold it against her as much as some others in this thread seem to do, especially with Kyouske and Madoka far from being flawless too. Granted, it was a hard situation for everyone and after spending so much time with these characters, it was quite painful to witness their friendship breaking apart. But the movie put emphasis on Hikaru the most and she's arguably the worst off. She didn't only lose her love, but also her best friend. Brutal. With that out of the way, this movie did an excellent job at wrapping things up for the TV series. Gripping tone, the characterisation was nuanced and especially how Hikaru's despair was portrayed got me. Adding the Touch movie scene or the Ushiko and Umao really rounded it perfectly up. 10/10 Enjoyment 9/10 overall |
One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron |
| This was pretty bad glad it's not canon |
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| After experiencing all this movie had to offer, I have to say that this is probably KOR's closest thing to a masterpiece. It reminds me of the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, in that it's slow, methodical, and even though we see familiar characters or places, the pacing is so different you start asking yourself "when did it get so... Sad?" Am not gonna lie, I almost cried at the end because of Hikaru. Her character was played as tragic and it made sense, she wasn't gonna end up with her senpai. (sidenote: don't skip the credits, there's a little treat of a post-credit scene in them) Now, in regards to the main cast, the three of them <Kyosuke, Madoka, and Hikaru> had been friends all along the journey, but we always knew Kyosuke's decision could either end things very good or end things very bad. The fun and games came before when he didn't have to make up his mind, but this time around the stakes rise as Madoka gets hurt by Hikaru's kiss since we know Kyosuke has to stop messing around to make up his mind, or he will lose Madoka, which feels almost like a realistic depiction of what really happens in this situations. People. Get. Hurt. There ain't no use for the power, no use for going back in time, or any of the classical adventures that we got on the original anime and OVA. When Kyosuke decides, it's going to be sad as hell and at the same time, it's going to feel peaceful and complete. The quirkiness, the whimsical side of KOR has always had a dramatic side in the central point of the story: its love interests. And if you ask me, this movie executed that side in an amazing way. This is finally an 8/10, one that proves all the potential KOR had, but also, one that hurts in ways you could never imagine. |
| 1 hour and 8 minutes? I wish the movie was longer but there probably weren't enough material. And even in those 68 minutes or so there's a lot to unpack here... First off, I know that the anime made the characters from being senior highschoolers in the manga to junior highschoolers in the adaptation but at the end of the TV series didn't Ayukawa fly off to America? And Kyosuke's supposed to be waiting for her? Or was that ending non-canon? Cause here it seems Kyosuke and Madoka were both preparing for college entrance exams as if she never left. Anyways... This movie was far better than anything I had imagined. Gone are the comedy and Kyosuke's extraordinary powers. This is an adult story and one that hits really hard. I never really cared about Hikaru before but after watching this movie I almost regret saying all those horrible things about her before. I don't think the movie retroactively made TV Hikaru a better character through magic (that's not how it works) but goddammit it was a pluspoint of this movie that it finally addressed Kyosuke and Hikaru's problematic relationship... I felt so so sorry about Hikaru, even though I knew from episode 1 this is how it's going to end up. I'd be in fantasyland if I thought otherwise... It's not like Madoka was sidelined either. The scene where she ends up crying and the scenes where she telephones Kyosuke were masterfully done. Actually the direction of this movie is all-around fantastic despite being such a major departure from the TV series. Imagine knowing KOR cos you watched/read a few episodes/chapters and going to the theaters to see this with no idea... I lost my shit when they played Touch in the movie theater. That's an all-time classic romance anime and magnum opus of Adachi Mitsuru. It's kinda fitting to be in Kimagure Orange Road - I Want to Return to That Day even if Minami's original dialogue is distorted to fit the themes of KOR better. This movie will change my outlook towards KOR TV series forever. There's no way I can (re)watch the series the same way ever again which kinda sucks but is also worth it. Besides I have an OVA and another movie to catch up to so it's not really over for me. I'm not sure in which order I will watch. I can probably talk about so much stuff in this movie but I'm satisfied just reading all the comments here instead. |
| Whoah, this was harsh, japanese are masters in make these type of "endings", specially when the tv anime was more funny. Poor Hikaru. The cameo of Touch was good too, another great anime. |
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| Damn, it takes so long for them to confront their feelings regarding the love triangle. No comedy straight-up drama which is a huge improvement. Kyosuke is being such an asshole for disregarding and ignoring Hikaru's feelings just because he wants to admit he loves Madoka the entire time after Madoka telephoned him and told him she's not fine (jealous). Even though Hikaru throughout the show is so damn annoying for such a pushy, she's at least better than Madoka. Imagine these three people not being honest with one another and pretending to be friends for around 3 years. Hikaru still admits that she knows who Kyosuke really loves all along yet she still tries her best to make him happy. Madoka and Kyosuke actually don't deserve one another but since the writer wants to put that Kyosuke with the whimsical chick then you got KOR. It's definitely the highest point of the entire show. It makes me wonder what will the second moving bring on the table since the two is already together. Lum in the background on 2:03 minute and nice Touch. |
VivaceRexMay 6, 2022 12:31 AM
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| Man, I love this movie. It's harsh, it's unrelenting, it's - to many - exactly what the show needed. It takes Hikaru, a character most viewers previously found annoying, and makes her quite sympathetic. (I always liked her, so I'm not including myself in that camp. Not more than Madoka, mind you, but still...) In response to others in this thread: I actually prefer how low-key Tomomi Mochizuki treated the Kyosuke and Madoka relationship in this film. Instead of feeling like a "get the girl" moment with a dramatic kiss, them getting together felt very human and natural. Some of my favorite dialogue from the film is their banter as they're quizzing each other for the test. It's subtle, but it shows they get on together well. Also, as sad as it is to say, the film is really about Hikaru's loss than it is Kyosuke and Madoka's victory. Hikaru getting an ovation for her role in the play was a great way to end things. After such a low, it shows life goes on. It stands pretty well on its own, but is definitely enhanced after seeing the lighthearted TV series... even if some say it drags on a bit much, the added emotional connection is worth it. I can't think of many "wacky indecisive love triangle" shows that decide to put their feet firmly on the ground and give a realistic resolution, especially anything post '95. (Not counting other very well-told stories such as Adachi's works) |
| Incredible. Harsh, tragic, painful... and thus, quite realistic. If you've never had hoes and had to choose between them to avoid losing all of them - and, in that scenario, if you don't have the decency to feel for even those you don't pick - this is probably not a great experience. But for those of us who do... man, this was heart-rending. I'll never forget it. Sayonara, KOR. You were quite the experience and I'll never forget the emotions I've felt watching you from start to finish. Quite nostalgic, it was, as well, and there's so much value in that... no matter how old I am watching this, I know I'll still think back to some romantic pain in my past, knowing if I could, I'd like to go back to those golden days... |
| NOW THAT'S SOME HEAVY DRAMA FOR YOU. After the comedic joyful main series, this movies slaps you in the face with it's love triangle which will leave you crying. It's been a while since the last time I watched an anime like this particularly the White Album series. The desperation, the tears, the lonely music. Aaaaaaaaaaaaa I ship the Kyousuke-Madoka team but still f*** you Kyousuke. You should've ended this in the series. I pity Hikaru 🥲 Now off to watch the sequel movie. |
| I haven't seen a love triangle go down this hard in a long time... brutal stuff. I loved the focus on the quieter scenes and they took time to show how much emotion each character was going through. Ultimately this is exactly how this show was going to end, someone is gonna get hurt and it's going to be painful to watch. |
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