Oftentimes, harem anime series don’t really have a plot – they are mere fan service shows that aim to garner enough crowd to form a community and argue over who’s the best girl among the cast of mediocre and generic characters. Quintessential Quintuplets movie also falls under the same category of having a stereotypical selection of waifus to fight for, except there are five of them and they are sisters. We watched two seasons of the TV anime and nothing about them was amazing; they were solid and entertaining. But, with the release of the movie, this series finally has something that makes it stand out from the rest: a beautifully animated definitive ending. One of the sisters indeed prevailed in the end; albeit the film teases us at the very start that the whole quintuplet saga results in a “harem ending” by opening with a scene of all the quintuplets wearing the same design of wedding dresses and having the same hairstyle.
The movie may have ultimately revealed the girl that Futaro chose but the winning quintuplet wasn’t entirely the main focal point of the film, rather the focus was on the growth of the sisters that we fell in love with and spent two seasons. Of course, in true romance anime fashion, Futaro’s confession was done at the school festival but it was set up with a unique and creative approach.
Five Sisters, Five Perspectives
The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie gave each heroine a spotlight one last time. It made each of them special by letting us experience their own perspective during the school festival and all of these genuine points of view felt like the quintuplets are the principal figures of the show in lieu of just the bride-to-be. We see all of them having a lovely time with Futaro, but we also see their development and the characters who are tying up loose ends in the story. It was a brilliant move for the movie to cover its plotholes considering that this was the conclusion.
While it was sweet and impartial for the movie to let each sister have a moment to stand out, it came at a cost of a confusing sequence of events. The plot felt cluttered at times – making the narrative of the school festival arc at first feel convoluted with the constant jumping and repetition of scenes. Showing the events of the school festival in chronological order wouldn’t be better either as the whole film would slightly lose its momentum for the turning point, due to the natural order of occurrences. If the series of events within each perspective was constructed more coherently, then the narrative of the movie would’ve been more outstanding.
Still, each viewpoint had its own charm and tension which all contribute to the climax of the film – the confession. After the final dramatic perspective of the quintuplet has been shown, the whole movie slowly shifts into a lighter mood, and with Futaro meeting with his peers and the sisters gathering together, it seemed like preparations for the most awaited act. When it was about time for the decision to be made, the film constantly switches between the angles of the girls in their respective spots. Accompanied by a piano and violin duet, the scene perfectly sets up the atmosphere and delivers the big revelation. The Quintessential Quintuplets was never associated with the supernatural but the whole confession made the series magical.
Quintessential Quintuplets Movie Is a Bittersweet End
Overall, the movie was splendid in terms of every aspect of what makes up an anime film aside from the crammed storytelling. Bibury Animation Studios improved the quality of the animation from the second season giving the movie a more colorful, vivid, and cinematic experience – worthy of a series finale (and in line with the movie format). The cast delivered a phenomenal performance as ever as their voice acting was seamless all throughout the series. I mean, having the “Harem King” Yoshitsugu Matsuoka voicing the lead will always have an exceptional outcome. The dialogues between each character were amusing and endearing to witness as well, especially in the end wherein Futaro and his bride delivered an emotional speech to everyone at their wedding.
While the movie for the most part covered the school festival and a little bit of the aftermath of the confession, the whole film served as a way for us to see that the sisters have become independent from one another. The girls were often seen together in the past, but ever since the school festival, their individual personalities began to shine through. It took them a while to flourish but their eventual personal growth was just at the right time for the apex of the story. Even if you’re a fan of the girl who won, the film leaves a bittersweet feeling because everyone finally found their true selves, but as the story is now over, we will no longer be spending time with them
The Quintessential Quintessential Movie was initially released in Japanese theaters last May and will be screened in other countries at a later date. Screenshots were taken from The Quintessential Quintessential Movie trailer.
© Negi Haruba / Kodansha / Movie “The Quintessential Quintessential” Production Committee
Anime Corner received an advance screening copy of the movie in exchange for an honest review.
