Watched this for the first time from JFF. I'm a fan of its theme but unfortunately, it fell a bit short of my expectations knowing it's from the same prod as Chihayafuru's. The movie was good but I think it could've been executed better. Perhaps one reason was due to the postponement of its filming during the pandemic.

While I love the soundtrack and cinematography, there were times when it felt more like a music video or a Japanese SP drama. Also the direction seemed confused on developing Sosuke's character. It just felt unnatural to me. Sosuke felt more like chosen and praised out of favoritism lol. And the supporting charas just seemed to be placed there for the actors' exposure (though I must say I love Yuumi haha).

Personally, it's Kaya who really shined through this film. She perfectly encapsulated Chiaki's aura. Ryusei did great in the opening scene but in other parts, it was okay-ish. Having read the manga, he interpreted Sosuke's chara differently. I think he could've performed better but maybe the writing/screenplay is also partly to blame. Expect preachy lines too.

Nonetheless, the pacing was good and my favorite scene (spoiler) was Nishihama's sumi-e. It was just beautifully drawn and I love his art. I'd say I liked it better than Kozan's lol