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I think there's a couple misunderstandings about this film that have cropped up in the anime community. No, it's not a perfect film. Far from it actually. But i've seen some criticisms that i simply can't understand:

"the film was anti-climatic"

Everything ties up in the conclusion. They both understand that their relationship can't last and is destined for just this single night. Reliving those sequences of decisions would not change that and thus, accepting the result but appreciating the confidence that Norimichi in particular had to finally follow through. The film snapping back into reality after Norimichi's/Nazuno's fantasies transformed the world only served to emphasis that ... this time link was severed. I don't think this a valid criticism when it was intended to happen.

"the characters are self-serving"

No shit. They're kids. The entire film is about the stupid indecisiveness of these barely adolescent individuals. It quite literally embodies the phrase "boys will be boys" (but this obviously applies to all genders in this case). They are self-serving because that's how many teens act. They don't see the consequences (e.g. the poor mother being hurt) and that's exactly how the film portrays their actions. Not with frustration but with silliness and foolish innocence. Hell, the characters even know that they are in the wrong, but the film doesn't acknowledge this because it would go against the core themes.

"it didn't need to involve time-travel"

This is one criticism i mostly agree with. The time traversal wasn't a necessity to get across the narrative. However, i'd counterpoint that with "why can't it feature time travel?". It made the film undoubtedly more compelling and allowed Norimichi's character to undergo the three/four pronged effect. The first time, he loses the race and regrets his lack of drive and stupor in the decisive moment (i.e. no commitment). The second/third times, he went through with his descision to pursue Nazuno, but failed to full commit at two different stages. The fourth and final time, he dives in head first. I believe the same set of events could be told, but i rather like this version. It's a matter of preference really.

Other than that, this film did suffer from poor animation (even if the bad CGI was not featured nearly as much as some were complaining about) and a lack of character development for the rest of the cast. I'm not defending those. I just wanted to point out that i really don't think it's some flawless masterpiece. Despite this, i thought it was incredibly sweet, capturing the youthful foolishness that is associated with romantic relationships.

One third gritty treasure hunt, one third Ainu cooking adventures, one third Ainu history/hunting lessons.

Now i'll start off by saying i don't follow a lot of manga series that came out within the last couple years. Most are average at best, with boring stereotypical characters, a lack of momentum in the plot line, un-inventive action sequences and typically forgettable dialogue.

However i think i've found a gem amongst the rough. Golden Kamuy is a historical Seinen series that depicts our main protagonist Sugimoto after the Russo-Japanese war in the Meji era. Nicknamed the 'Invinicible Sugimoto', he gained a reputation for being damn near invincible on the ... battlefield, doing anything and everything to get the better of his opponents. We follow Sugimoto after this period, as he soon receives critical information about a secret Ainu Tribe treasure haul that has been kept hidden for years upon years.


Story:

I've already given a little description so i won't talk much about the story. What i will say is that the mangaka has really dedicated himself to spending as much time as possible, fleshing out the time period and the varying cultures present within it. Attention to detail is impressive, as little things like the 'Ice walls' of Hokkaido are given proper acknowledgement. The Ainu Tribe especially has been fleshed out to the point i feel like i know quite a bit about their culture, traditions, hunting tactics, equipment, myths etc.

10/10

Art:

Beautiful, visceral and realistic are the words i'd use to describe the art of this series. The Hokkaido landscapes are breathtaking gorgeous, offering scenic views of the snowy mountain sides and grounded views of the bustling town. Action sequences are great enhanced by the sweeping movements, good in-between panels, attentive detail on gory faces and fantastic choreography. Furthermore the characters themselves are drawn in a mostly realistic manner. Anime-esque features are apparent, but subdued for the most part. You do get the occasional chibi face or dis-proportioned face for comedic effect though.

9/10

Character:

All the characters so far are distinctive and don't really fall too much into any tropes. Sugimoto is badass,unrelenting, cunning and truly representative of his nickname. Asirpa is the little Ainu girl who is Sugimoto first companion. Though unlike most little girl characters, she actually proves to be more essential to finding the treasure, hunting, survining and strategising than Sugimoto himself. It's even noted at one point that Sugimoto literally relies on Asirpa. Shiraishi is another character who has joined the trio now of treasure hunters. Slick and renowned for his escape abilities, Shiraishi is partly a source of comedic relief but also a competent tactition that with every passing chapter, seems to be integral to their success. I'll note their food outings are some of my favourite character interactions in the series. The extremely odd dishes they consume, coupled with the often disgusted facial reactions make these moments a joy to watch.....and there's a lot of them, so get used to it.

However the different factions other than Sugimoto's crew are the highlight for me. Hijikata of the newly formed Shinsengumi, the 7th Division commander and 'boner guy' Taizo are all unique, cunning and legitimately terrifying antagonists. The 7th division commander especially reminds me of the villain of the film 'No Country for Old Men'. Hijikata is my favourite overall, as every single time he appears something badass and grand occurs. His pistol and sword set also notch him a few extra points. I won't go into their characters too much (due to spoiler territory), but i'll just say i love every single character in this series.

10/10

Enjoyment:

I'm sure this is obvious if you're reading this.......but of course i love it! I think the above states everything that needs to be said. Bottom line though, is that this is the only series i look foward to reading weekly (alongside Gintama).

10/10

Overall:

9.7/10=10/10