Negi Haruba likes stories that force the audience to debate, especially when it comes to choosing the main heroine. Therefore, the hook Go-Tōbun no Hanayome it is infallible. Starting from the premise “what would happen if some quintuplets fell in love with the same person?”, the mangaka begins his tale with a glimpse of the conclusion of this intricate romantic saga: Fuutaro Uesugi’s wedding day to one of the Nakano sisters. The question is: which of them is ‘The Bride’? The readers of the original print knew the answer in February 2020 and, now, it is the turn of the fans of the anime adaptation to see the outcome captured on the big screen with The Quintessential Quintuplets: The Movie.
The titles haremthose who play with the fantasy of a male character as the object of desire for multiple love interests, often carry a fully justified negative reputation. The Quintessential Quintuplets it does not radically break away from the formula and clichés that make them so successful; however, it has managed to become one of the most charming and wholesome examples of the subgenre in recent memory. The secret ingredient? Beyond the romantic competition, the primary strength of this work always lay in its complex family dynamics and individual growth. And we’re happy to report that these elements continue to be explored right up to the last minute of the footage. By the end of the film, each Nakano sister gets a satisfying sendoff.
Set after the events of the trip to Kyoto, this cinematic sequel wastes no time in diving right into the key events of the final installment of Habura’s manga. In that sense, the biggest “but” lies in the rhythm problems that the adaptation had already been causing since the second season. This is a project that clearly would have worked much better as a third season than a feature film, even with its 2 hour and 15 minute runtime. There are too many moving parts, and as a result, various pinnacle scenarios often feel rushed. Even if you’re not familiar with the source material, you can sense that entire segments of the plot had to be cut. Jumping from one major event to the next, they don’t get a chance to shine to their full potential.
That said, director Masato Jinbo (Senryu Girl) and screenwriter Keiichirō Ōchi (Adachi and Shimamura) do their best to make the most of the circumstances, thanks to their intelligent structure and the choice of the correct scenes to close the plot. After a saturated prologue, we conclude the first act with the promise that Fuutaro will have an answer about his feelings at the end of the School Festival. This is how we have one last chance to spend time with the quintuplets in sections dedicated entirely to each one, but which are intertwined in the background with the stories of the others so as not to fall into monotony and put together the complete puzzle of those three memorable days. All the weighty questions that were established throughout the anime are resolved; there’s a better emphasis on moments that offer context to justify the resolution, and a lengthy epilogue focused on the aftermath of the resolution. Thankfully (or not, depending on who your favorite was), we also don’t have a more audience-pleasing original ending.
But the value of The Quintessential Quintuplets, again, it goes beyond romance, and the movie leaves it dormant. Not like others harem, Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba and Itsuki are not girls whose only function in the story is to become a lover’s trophy, but rather they are shown to us as three-dimensional characters, with longings, virtues, insecurities and marked defects, who are trying to to define how they distinguish themselves from the rest and thus choose their own path in life. Something that acquires a special dimension when we talk about quintuplets, and is addressed thematically in a very emotional way in the film. To do this, each one receives the right time on the screen and deals with some personal conflict that, in one way or another, reinforces what they have learned and closes their respective arcs in a dignified manner. Perhaps more importantly, she doesn’t forget to explore how their bonds and mutual understanding between sisters have evolved. While disagreements will continue to surface just like in any other family, these clashes come from a genuine place of appreciation and concern, a desire to stay together forever no matter where or who they are with.
On a technical level, the franchise never stood out precisely for its production values, neither with Tezuka Productions nor when the series passed into the hands of Bibury Animation Studio. Of course, there is a development from the poor performance in the second season that took place in the midst of COVID-19. The animation is nice and consistent, with some wit that shines through in the climactic sequences, but it’s not terribly interesting overall on a cinematic level. Once again, the aspects that elevate the project are found in the sound section: on the one hand, the sensitive musical score composed by Hanae Nakamura and Miki Sakurai; on the other, the magnificent performances of its luxury cast: Kana Hanazawa (Ichika), Ayana Taketatsu (Nino), Miku Itō (Miku), Ayane Sakura (Yotsuba), Inori Minase (Itsuki) and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Fuutaro). And if you enjoyed the Latin dubbing, all the people involved in the localization process, under the command of director Roberto Salguero, maintain the quality standards that they had already shown us in the series.
Despite the problems of rhythm and production, The Quintessential Quintuplets: The Movie he keeps his heart in the right place until the last consequences. Staying true to the values that made it stand out in the first place, this goodbye leaves all our protagonists with a bright future. And as a fan, sometimes you can’t ask for anything more.
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The film is now available dubbed and subtitled into Latin Spanish in theaters in Mexico, Chile and Peru.