Kimagure Orange Road Movie: I Want to Return to That Day 9/10

Before reading this review please watch the TV series (review) as the movie won't make much sense if you haven't. This review will give away the ending of the series but if you've watched the TV series the movie doesn't really hold any surprises.

For my 50th review I present to you the KOR Movie: I Want to Return to That Day. A true classic.

In the annals of romantic and harem anime, few series have bothered to offer closure to the relationships in the series. KOR stands tall as one of the precious few to present and ending where few questions remain once the final credits roll.

This film takes the animation techniques refined in the OAV production and brings those skills fully to bear here. Beautifully drawn backgrounds and character designs complement the fantastic story with not a single complaint on my part. The music is fantastic with some great new insert songs and an end theme that tugs at the heartstrings if I may be so bold. This has to be one of the best looking theatrical releases based on an existing TV series ever produced.

It's the day Kyosuke and Madoka go to check their results for their university entrance exams. Hearing a girl who sounds very much like Hikaru the movie switches to a flashback to the previous summer about 5-6 months earlier.

Kyosuke and Madoka are feverishly studying for exams and Hikaru is auditioning for a play. Kyosuke and Madoka have been spending alot of time together and Hikaru is feeling left out since studying takes up so much of Kyosuke's time. She's been coming over to his house with snacks and one day kisses him which in the KOR world is a truly earth shattering event. Of course Madoka finds out, storms out of the cram school she and Kyosuke attend when she questions him about it and disappears.

After the kiss Kyosuke is pretty much more fucked than he's ever been. Madoka is uber-pissed and won't return his calls and Hikaru is getting alot more lovey dovey than usual. The delicate balance of their relationships is shattered and something must be done.

Kyosuke to his credit doesn't behave like the Kyosuke of old. He doesn't rush over to Madoka's house full of excuses, he doesn't make a ass of himself, and he surprisingly keeps seeing Hikaru. Madoka later has Hikaru over to help her out with a scarf she's knitting. Madoka finds out the scarf is for Kyosuke and this revelation is the last straw.

During the series we've seen Madoka mainly angry and aloof. She never displays or verbalizes her true feelings for Kyosuke, instead playing the saxophone whenever depressed or sad about their situation. At this point she finally breaks down and makes a tearful call to Kyosuke to get him back. This call confirms what we've always suspected, that Madoka isn't completely the tough girl we've known but is lonely, insecure, and much more in love with Kyosuke than she's let on. He rushes over to her house and he finally gets the OK from her to do what she's been somewhat preventing him from doing for so long. No not THAT you perverts! Dear Hikaru, welcome to Dumpville. Population YOU!

He calls her out to meet, breaks the news and she takes it pretty hard. An interesting relevation here is that Hikaru says that she's known all along Kyosuke loves Madoka but she's been trying to win him over. This is interesting and really makes her out to be more devious than she's been letting on. All those interruptions of moments between Kyosuke and Madoka can now be looked at in a new light. That BITCH!

The rest of the movie passes pretty quickly with Hikaru refusing to give up on Kyosuke and continuing to call and visit him. By the end he stops talking to her when she calls and in the final few scenes ignoring her as he walks past her.

The last few minutes of this movie are very sad with the end theme playing over the last few moments. Even if you hate Hikaru you have to feel sorry for her since she takes her dumping so hard. Madoka and Kyosuke loose a good friend and Hikaru is left on her own. Kyosuke, to his credit isn't a bastard in the finale here, but he finally has made his decision and he even has second thoughts right up to the end.

This movie is easy to recommend since it's so great but only for anime romance fans. The comedy of the series is here but only in the first half.