There will be time to talk about the good aspects of the movie so I will start with the things I didnt like.
What bothered me the most were the lacking matches. I understand they were included mainly to give us insight into Nagis personal feelings but they were so heavily cut that they became much less exciting. Additionally it seemed like there was more CGI compared to season 1or at least thats how it felt to me. This impression might be due to the faster pacing I mentioned earlier.
Another thing I noticed was the different soundtrack most notably during Bachiras goal against Team V. A few songs felt mismatched with what was happening on screen but overall the music was pretty good with some outstanding tracks especially Growth: EPISODE NAGI and REO by Jun Murayama as well as by ASH DA HERO.
Now moving on to the things I liked. The music in four specific moments was outstanding:
1 Credits A nice song not a masterpiece but enjoyable nonetheless.
2 Reos thoughts after Nagi ditched him The music made Reos emotional breakdown more impactful in my opinion.
3 The montage of Nagis journey with the team in season 1 before Egos talk and the credits This scene featured a great song paired with good visuals which hit the emotional mark perfectly.
4 Nagis internal monologue after losing to Team Z The music complemented this moment wonderfully.
Before discussing other aspects I have to mention the change in the style of Isagis direct shot. Setting aside the buildup I think it looks slightly better than it did in season 1. I also really liked Barou being depicted as a lion during his match against Team V.
What added to my enjoyment of the movie were the backstories of Team Vs players such as Zantetsu Reo and Nagi. These stories made me see them in a new light as the first season of the anime portrayed all of themexcept Nagias not very likable. Zantetsus motivation was particularly surprising to me as I had assumed the author had simply made him seem foolish to serve as comic relief. Im glad I was wrong.
The moments that left the biggest impression on me and which I will remember best are:
1 Reos reflection on himself after Nagi left him and joined Isagis team The voice acting music and the portrayal of his tears left a huge impact on me. It was a very touching scene and it made me appreciate Reos character much more.
2 Nagis inner monologue after losing to Team Z The beautiful soundtrack stunning art and emotional voice acting turned this scene into a masterpiece. Its hard to put into words exactly what I felt watching it.
85
/100