OUT 1 SEPTEMBER CINEMAS
One of the highest-grossing Japanese films, whose creator Takehiko Inoue here makes his directorial debut. But while the sound design and animation impress, the narrative structure irritates. True, promoting supporting character Miyagi (Shugo Nakamura) to lead duties allows for a moving backstory. But it’s all too apparent, even for newcomers, that the central match’s MVP, Sakuragi (Subaru Kimura), is the usual protagonist, creating a distracting disconnect between the flashbacks and present-day action.