I absolutely adore this adaptation. The characters are perfectly portrayed in the film. I’ve reread the series and watched the movie so many times now. Due to time constraints, much of the angst in the plot is skipped over however it still maintains the flow in such a natural way. It’s a beautiful story. Overall I can’t recommend it enough.

My only big issue is with Ninako’s characterization. I’m not sure if it’s a cultural thing but when reading the manga, she seemed more energetic & silly. The movie portrays her as more reserved and sweet. I personally saw her as being someone neurodivergent in some capacity, but I’m not sure if characters like that are less likely to be seen in Japanese media, especially dramas. (I’ve seen “My Little Monster” as well, which was incredible, but obviously things are different when women are acting in ways similar to that) I know the countries & cultures are different but I was imaging Ninako to be more like Kim Bok Joo than a cute & kind protagonist. While I do adore those as well, it wasn’t what I was expecting from the movie.