Gekijōban Karakai Jōzu no Takagi-san

For the first twenty minutes or so, I felt as if I was just watching another episode of the series. The only thing that convinced me that this was actually a movie was the slightly better animation and the much more forceful and expressive music. The rest of it was basically just the usual teasing I've seen plenty of before without anything new to significantly move the story or the main couple's relationship anywhere. Sure, there was some palpable uneasiness at times, arising from the fact that this was their last summer vacation together in junior high, but it was projected more onto the story of the secondary characters. Things changed when the white kitten suddenly appeared. The story became much more interesting with lots of nice moments and slightly sadder ones. Most importantly, the central couple's relationship started to develop. There were some powerful and charming romantic moments that made everything very enjoyable for me. You could argue that the story around the white kitten was very simple and quite transparent, and it was clear how the authors wanted to impress the viewer and how it all would end. But it was a success, and I was moved at times, with a smile on my face most of the time, so it worked perfectly for me. Even the Sanae subplot worked for me, and I also enjoyed its denouement. All in all, it was a pleasant watch, an enjoyable hour or so that was nicely accentuated by the post-credits scene. So, for fans of Teasing Master Takagi-san, a must-watch that will both please and make you excited for the next and probably final part of the series that is hopefully coming soon. 7.5/10 (03.01.2023)