This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

This anime series gives me a mixture feelings of sadness and pleasure and delight. I can't get enough of all the bits and pieces on mundane routines that harmoniously spin around. But thanks to the eccentricity of the supporting characters, they bring joy and keep the mood balance. Yes! There are a lot of bubbly characters to love here, especially the Kawamoto family. I like how the character of Rei is sculpted. He is good at shogi, but not the greatest. It gives him the time to struggle and grow. And his journey is one amazing story to follow. The story line is executed at a slow-paced. The construction of the scenes is succinct with a series of flashbacks entangled on the dot. A few scenes that I like are the long walks in the familiar neighborhood. I personally like the part of Rei's serene walks, particularly when he seems to disregard the world revolving around him. I would like to think that most of the time, Rei finds comfort in a blanket of despondency that clouded him for some reasons. Let's not forget the soundtracks. Most scenes (I think) are modestly graced with in tempo instrumental piano pieces. I genuinely find them rich and piercing. I think I have even heard a lovely French track.The animation, characters, story line and the music are all equally wonderful. Above all else, this series is life-affirming.