Note: This movie is actually two movies, the first (Kako-hen) is an edited version of the series, and it was released in March 2015. The first movie is a condensed version of the main plot line without some of the fun parts of the series (like the encounter with the fruit yokai) and if you have seen the first series, there is only 3 minutes or so of new material that happens post credits that is new. I have not yet seen the second movie, but will edit this when I have. Therefore, the review is abbreviated.
Animation: Excellent work by Kyoto Animation, as usual. They have used actual photos for backgrounds in many instances, and the colors are vibrant and lively. Facial expressions are particularly well done. The main characters are Japanese, but look vaguely European and there is no explanation. The cast of characters is fairly small, given that it is a short series that is mostly a dark romance. I rate the work on the movie to be exactly as good as the series, since it's almost all old material. This earns an 8.
Sound: Wonderful work, seyuu and soundstage and sound effects are impressive, as they were during the series. The cuts have been smoothed and fitted, but it's not obvious if any additional dialogue or voiceovers were done for the movie. Part of the scoring on this is therefore actually a scoring for the series, and it's an 8.
Story: The first movie is a condensed version of the series, which was an above average series from 2013. The premise is that the half human, half youma boy is infatuated with a cute-but-loner girl with glasses, and they both have reason to be lonely, together. It's a fairly old Romeo and Juilet tale, with the twist that she has to kill him. Which she tries to do several times in the first episodes and the first few minutes of the series, but is unable to do (what changes in the end is a complete mystery). It is never spelled out why she is unsuccesful, or what changes or how. This plothole is large enough to drive a truck through, if it were not for the suspension of belief you have already donated to the fight scenes and the anime physics. How she can be so woefully clumsy and still battle yokai is a mystery or an enigma.
KyoAni is very good at slice of life, and very good at cute. It's not so good at dark and not so good at mysterious, but it somehow works to blend them here. It's very entertaining, but once we deal with the ghost at the center of our main character's soul, we are left with how to resolve the final resolution of the Romeo and Juliet meeting, and the second film follows that (which has yet to be posted). So I cannot say the second film will provide additional resolution, as the main plot is nicely ended with a satisfying conclusion, only to have a cliffhanging postscript appended after the credits. I would give the story a 6 based on the execution of a main plot and the cute elements, and with the confusion of tone being a detriment.
Character: Cute girl in kneesocks and glasses, a clumsy generic type which hits all the boxes, check. Dorky and clueless main character with a surprising power and an almost perverted interest in girls with glasses, check. Tsundere competetor, check. Supporting male character who has a siscon with tsundere sister, check. Originality in concept or design, hm.... nope. But it's still pretty pleasant. If you enjoyed the series, you will enjoy the movie, as there is nothing new with the first movie. This is why I am giving it a mixed review: 7 if you liked the characters from the original (the most fun parts have been excised from the movie), and 5 if you want your episode 6 dance routine restored in full. I will thus rate the whole as a 6.
Value and Enjoyment: This is where it totally blows it. If you enjoyed the series, there is no reason to watch the first movie, as there isn't more than 3 minutes of new material. I cannot give this higher than a 3 on either, because it's just not enough different than the series, and appears to be just another way to extract money from the public because the animation budget was high. Enough of the shameless milking of a series in a recap movie, please.
When the second movie comes out and I can review it, I will edit my review as appropriate, but I expect it to explain the backstory of our heroine and her apparent memory loss.
**Edit: Second movie is now reviewed, and it attempts to deal with the story after the end of the series. Mirai [voiced by Taneda Risa (Kaori in Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso ] has lost her memories, and the theme here is getting back her reason for being paired with Akihito. It's mostly fighting; the thing which made the series fun was not the fight scenes, but the banter. However, it's a satisfying conclusion and comes close to resolving the central romantic issue, while giving us some more backstory. It's worth the trip, and the animation is very good indeed, very Kyoto Animation color palette. It does not change my rating of the animation or sound, and it increased my value only one half, which does not change the overall ratings.
Now that the movies are concluded, I'm calling this a final. The first movie is a bit of a shameless rehash. But the second movie (Mirai hen) advances the story to an ending, and it does so without boring you. I consider it part redemption for a rehash first movie.
