Goodbye, Don Glees! has been on my radar since MADHOUSE announced that Atsuko Ishizuka directed it. Atsuko Ishizuka is the woman behind A Place Further than the Universe, the critically acclaimed anime series that won Anime of the Year in the 5th Anime Trending Awards and a series that jumped to the top of my favorite anime. Heart wrenching yet uplifting at the same time with the right amount of comedy sprinkled in, A Place Further than the Universe is considered a masterpiece by many and is an original anime that no one expected to make them sob. However, just because a director created one incredible piece of work does not guarantee all her subsequent works will follow up. So, the question is – does her new movie succeed in story and characters like her series did?
Goodbye, Don Glees! is the story of three boys. They’re all outcasts from their small village of kids for different reasons, but they’ve held a steadfast friendship for many years. When one of them returns from the city, the three find themselves caught up in shenanigans which test their perspective of their world and future. Meanwhile, miles away from their village and near a golden waterfall, a red phone booth sits and rings mysteriously.
This movie isn’t flawless compared to A Place Further than the Universe, but it certainly packs an effective punch that left me holding in my sobs at the end. The types of stories I’m biased towards are simple: they go full circle, and they tell an uplifting message. This movie does both brilliantly, though unfortunately, I cannot explain why without divulging spoilers.
What I can say is that this is to be enjoyed on the big screen. There are adventure scenes where the boys are traversing through uncharted territories, and the screen tips and turns and skids alongside the boys like you’re one of the characters coming along for the ride. The full effect of that cinematography can only be experienced on a large, wide screen with surround sound and noises bouncing around your ears, making you feel like rocks are scraping by your body along the rough path. I’m especially blessed that Anime Expo 2022 screened the movie at an actual theater, so I was able to experience what the director wanted us to experience in full.
The characters are teenage boys, so while they might annoy some people when they make stupid mistakes and bad decisions, I find myself deeply invested in them. They’re flawed, they’re confused, and they’re all going through different hardships, but their friendships are sincere and genuine. Toto, one of the three protagonists, stands out to me the most as his struggles with schoolwork and mounting internal and parental pressure hit a little too close to home. However, the other two characters, Roma and Drop, are just as important to the story as all three represent a factor of isolationism within their village. No character gets shoved beneath the carpet to favor another, and even now as I think about them and their relationship, I get teary-eyed.
The plot does have certain cliché scenes, such as the important fight where two characters spill their guts out and the predictable moment of triumph, but ultimately, I don’t care if the scenes are cliché because the emotions are still delivered successfully. Drop’s arc, in particular, is the heart of the story, and one I find brilliantly portrayed. Unfortunately, I again cannot discuss in detail without spoiling the movie. Just know that all loose threads are tied, including the mysterious phone booth, the characters’ arcs are interwoven, and it ends in both a sad but beautiful way.
Despite conveying the different stories and perspectives of her three protagonists, Atsuko Ishizuka’s distinct style of writing and directing shines through. This extends into her direction of framing where every shot is purposefully placed, from wide-panning scenery to tight tent spaces. One of my favorite moments is when Toto and Roma stare up at the sky, and an airplane lifts off the ground somewhere nearby. They’re surrounded by trees in darkness due to the forest that surrounds their village, and that small piece of sky represents a world unexplored – so far away, yet so close to touch. If I had not known the creator of A Place Further than the Universe directed this movie, I still would’ve guessed she had a hand in the story and creation.
Of everyone in the cast, Yuki Kaji gives the best performance as Toto. Ayumu Murase also does a good job as Drop, but unfortunately, I think Natsuki Hanae is a little too on-the-nose with his performance as Roma compared to the other two. Roma isn’t lacking nuance in his character, but his more emotional outburst can often feel performed compared to the other two whose performances felt more in line with the actual characters. I’m certainly not saying he did a bad job, but I just wish he could’ve added more inflections in his voice to match up with the other two.
Overall, I loved Goodbye, Don Glees! and know it will raise emotions in me just thinking about it. However, I also have to note that the kind of story it tells is exactly the type of story I’m biased towards. The movie is a coming of age journey with genuine hilarious moments that sends the entire theater in laughter while also being chock full of compassionate scenes that elicit sniffles from around the theater, including myself. It’s a story with a clear cut message: there are people out there who love you, even if you haven’t met them yet. Sometimes, they’re a mysterious phone call away.
