Updated as of third rewatch. I must warn you now that it is pretty much impossible to discuss this movie without getting deep into spoilers this introduction and the first part of this review will be spoiler free so you can decide whether you want to watch the movie based on those and the score and if you do watch it and come back for the rest of the review. Also I must note that Im obviously biased in making this review. Revue Starlight is not only my favorite anime but my favorite franchise of all time so there was pretty much no way I wasnt going to like this movie. That said despite anticipation building for over a year it ran past my expectations and delivered what might legitimately be my favorite movie of all time. However if youre not already a fan of Revue Starlight... well this movie might not be for you. Or is it? In Japan the movie despite coming out on June 4th of this year is still in theaters meaning its been running for 31 weeks straight being extended week after week due to its popularity. I doubt that that was simply because fans were watching it over and over and over again theres a pretty high chance that this movie is legitimately appealing to all audiences regardless of their previous attachment to the franchise. That said I still think this is a movie for fans so if you watched the original and didnt like it Im not sure how much this movie will be able to change that. Last thing I want to say is that Ive only seen the full movie once. Itll be a while before I can watch it again and I had to get my thoughts out now but I will be watching this over and over and over again. If my thoughts change or if I have more to say Ill come back and update this review so stay tuned Alright with all that out of the way lets move onto the review: Part 1: General Thoughts Spoiler Free This movie is really good. Really. Really. Really good. Its pretty much everything youd expect of the people who brought us the original Revue Starlight a visual masterpiece with unique and epic songs beautiful metaphors and an attention to detail that allows for endless analysis. This movie has all that in spades cranking up the visual storytelling to 11 and making every line every movement every frame count. The revues in the movie surpass the originals by a mile with the exception of the first all the revues are around 10 minutes long really diving deep into the characters relationships and their growth. It was cool seeing my multipage analysis on the nuances of a certain character relationship basically get confirmed during their revue all through visual storytelling. In fact this movie does such an amazing job of staying consistent with the originals themes that I think every single piece of batshit analysis Ive ever made from the purpose of the weapons to the choice to give X character Y colors to the musical motifs that bind all the songs together ALL OF THEM ARE CONFIRMED TO BE INTENTIONAL. Its not just an insane person rambling this franchise is one of the deepest rabbit holes to jump into. It should go without saying that every element of the original is at its best here. The characters and their relationships are fully realized and given proper endings that coincide with the overarching theme of graduation. The music I dont even know how to begin describing the music. It doesnt sound like any other soundtrack Ive ever heard even the originals and each song is an entire novels worth of story telling in itself. The animation is stunning the pacing is relentless the storyline is tragic and heartbreaking but happy and hopeful all the same. By the end of the movie it truly did feel like the series was over much to my dismay. But it was the best ending it couldve had. In terms of flaws theres really only a couple things. First the action isnt the most creatively choreographed. For someone like me this is made up for by how well the action is shot and all the creative ways they present the action you know what I mean if you watched the original. Basically even though most of the action is basic swords clashing or arrows firing its the environments the cinematography the style that makes the action an exhilarating experience to behold. However there are many people who dont care about all that... and thats fine. The action is still good here dont get me wrong the first fight scene is amazing its just that the fight scenes are definitely defined by the visuals and emotion more than the action itself. The only other flaw I can really think of if you even want to call it that is that the movie spends a lot of time in flashbacks. I personally hate flashbacks specifically when theyre done poorly. I think its done pretty well here but if youre just coming for the revues or if you dont care about Karen at all its not the most endearing. That said I do like Karen I love Karen in fact. So I loved all of this. With that my ability to talk about the movie without spoilers is exhausted. I really hope that if you do end up watching this film even if you werent familiar with or a fan of the original franchise that you can get at least something from this film. Its overflowing with love and care from everyone involved you can see and hear the passion that went into making this movie. Its clear why the movie wasnt given a special title like Roadshow or Graduation this is Revue Starlight. It is not the sequel to the series it is simply the last part. The series was never complete until the movie came out and only now it may rest. Part 2: The Characters Spoilers Like I said in part 1 the characters are at their best here. I was somewhat worried that after the very satisfying ending the original series had they wouldnt be able to justify the drastic shift into the storyline of the movie. Nana turning evil again couldve invalidated one of my favorite scenes from the original in which Junna shows Nana the value of moving forward instead of being stuck in the past. However not only does the movie not undo any of those scenes it basically just makes it clear that Nana turning again was an inevitability. They dont even really justify it because its played out as if this was always going to happen. Nana doesnt feel like a different character because she isnt with graduation approaching it makes perfect sense that it would be Nana to give the final choices to her fellow stars: either let yourself die on the stage or watch everyone drift apart. She knows that if everyone decides to continue pursuing the stage theyre all be separated but if they end their paths now they can stay together forever. And the Revue of Annihilation is pretty much Nana putting that idea center stage by showing that she is still strong enough to defeat six stage girls entirely on her own she is showing the other characters their unified weakness: their lack of belief in the future. The movie begins with all the characters explaining their goals and pretty much all of them have reservations about how far they can actually go. Nana isnt really fighting to keep her replays anymore rather shes fighting to make sure that if her friends choose to pursue their starlight they wont fail. And in the state they are at the beginning of that first Revue thats exactly where they are. With the exception of Maya who coincidentally is the only stage girl to not be defeated in the Revue of Annihilation all are unsure of their future unsure of their ability and that lack of confidence will surely lead to their failures. Nana wont allow them to fail and if that means defeating them and killing their stage so be it. This is further explored in her relationship and revue with Junna. Junna is someone who has always looked at others when trying to achieve her goals. Shes always taking notes on those she sees as more skilled than her and shes constantly quoting great writers and philosophers. Junna is defined by others and Nana wants to change that. Their revue probably has the single best piece of visual storytelling Ive ever seen which Ill dive more into in part 3 of this review but for now we can just say that Junna proves to Nana and to herself that her method isnt bad. That learning from the greats isnt stunting her own growth and that she can still reach her goal with her reliance on others to make up for what she lacks. In the original series the people she looked up to were Claudine and Maya because to her they were on a whole other level and in some ways that remains true in the movie. Maya is pretty much untouchable but as is explored in her revue this has made her an oddball in the group. She cannot exist without the stage and she knows this fact so there isnt even a question about it Maya wont let herself die on stage thats not an option for her. Claudine on the other hand is caught between returning to France and staying to continue challenging Maya. Claudine has always been defined by second place and that fact is exemplified here. Her belief that she and Maya are rivals is seemingly the one thing keeping her afloat and the question is just whether or not that is strong enough to keep her dreams of being a stage girl alive. Their revue together explores Claudines role not only as a stage girl but also in defining what makes Maya a stage girl. They are nothing without the other but both must evolve from that fact if they are to achieve their dreams after graduation. Much like Claudine Kaoruko is caught between returning and moving forward. She was always the most... confusing character to me in the original series I didnt quite understand her purpose outside of being a defining part of Futabas character. Here its made clear Kaoruko is acceptance. If it were up to Kaoruko shed gladly let her stage die but she wants it to be on her terms. Shes the most angry about losing the original Revues because its a red mark on her record and she spends her time in the movie trying to prove that shes still worth something. Like in the past this is mostly by making Futaba chase her... but this time is different. Futaba has grown and shes become passionate about something. Before Futaba was the weakest of the nine but she was never angry about that her life was defined by assisting Kaoruko and by losing to her she likely felt she had done her job. But she has split off now and if that means leaving Kaoruko behind... well Futaba will make that decision. Shell do it if it means that Kaoruko will have inspiration to meet her and they can both find their dreams together as equals as friends as a couple. That leaves the main trio Mahiru Hikari and of course Karen. Mahiru has always been an interesting character because she is someone defined by others. Not in the way Claudine needs to be Mayas rival or the way Kaoruko needs a Futaba to rely on Mahiru isnt defined by a single person. She initially joined Seisho inspired by her grandmother and her time spent on stage was defined by her until she meets Karen. Karen to Mahiru isnt just an object of affection Karen is Mahirus way of feeling useful. Shes always felt that she didnt belong in Seisho that she herself wasnt a particularly strong actor or singer or dancer and the original series features her learning to somewhat believe in herself. Mahiru is still defined by Karen this time around but rather than it being out of an insistence to be useful its out of pure love. Mahiru doesnt even share that many scene with Karen rather its through her interactions with Hikari that she proves her loyalty. Mahiru knows Hikari is destined to meet with Karen but in that even she wants to make sure that Hikari truly deserves to meet Karen at the top of the stage. That is because to her Hikari ran. Hikari was scared and she ran. Talking about Hikari and Karen is so complicated because their stories are so intertwined. Hikari ran because she feared that she wouldnt be good enough to meet everyone else on stage. But as the movie shows us Karen only ever pursued the stage because of Hikari. But Karens insistence on keeping her promise with Hikari one that was made out of the fear of Karen relying too much on Hikari and subsequently backfired is the reason Hikari never knew how close their relationship was or rather that Karen could never address it. Its really complex and I definitely think it is their relationship and these characters that Ill especially need a second watch through to fully understand. For now Ill stick with the idea that Hikari is spending the movie realizing that she has doomed Karen and trying to fix her mistake before its too late. But she is too late. Ill explore this more in part 4 but Karen dies. The stage girl Karen dies. Because the stage girl Karen relied on Hikari looked up to Hikari pursued the stage in hopes to meet Hikari. And in doing so Karen stopped being defined by herself. Theres even seemingly throwaway lines like Karen doesnt seem like herself on stage that really hammer this idea home. The stage girl Karen was a hollow vessel built on fate and only in her death could Karen evolve. The simple overarching truth is... all the characters had to evolve. Like Nanas replays Seisho was a safe place their friends were a safe place but those safe places were where they would die if they didnt move on if they didnt pursue their dreams if they didnt graduate. Part 3: The Revues Spoilers Oh my god the revues. From the music to the visuals to the emotions they are so good and I spent probably the next hour after the movie ended stunned by every single one. Each one is so unique both from the other revues as well as in terms of anime as a whole. Revue of Annihilation titled Revue of Killing Everyone in the subs I watched came out of nowhere and took me by surprise. Historically the revues were always one versus one with the one exception that saw us seeing a two versus two revue. Here we have a revue that is one versus six. Like I said before this was all done to show how Nana knows the fear in the hearts of the other stage girls. That is why Karen and Hikari are absent their goals are unclear it isnt just a matter of fear its a matter of not knowing what comes next. Visually speaking the Revue of Annihilation is pretty tame despite happening on a moving train stage and having insane cinematography to show the fight in full. This is a perfect decision as the revue pretty much comes out of nowhere and eases the audience back into the revue format without immediately overwhelming us visually. Its exciting exhilarating and a little bit terrifying. I was already at the edge of my seat and the movie had just gotten started. Oh and this moment? 70https://c.tenor.com/zq4wr8C58AAAAC/daibananarevuestarlight.gif Yeah this moment was raw as hell. And oh my wildscreen baroque is probably my favorite track from the movie perhaps from the entire franchise. Its groovy it incorporates so many strange elements and it paints a picture of the battle without ever having to see it. The ending of the revue is jawdropping as well. I dont think Revue Starlight fans will be too surprised to see that theres blood in this movie but this amount and out of nowhere Junna and Kaoruko literally die. its pretty insane. Revue of Annihilation makes it clear what the movie going to be narratively thematically tonally and visually all in a short 5 minute segment. An absolute masterpiece of a revue. And its not even my favorite one. Revue of Malice followed next and its the final chapter in the Futakao relationship. Kaoruko spends the revue trying to run away but always being above Futaba. After an initial scene featuring a cameo from Claudine Kaoruko and Futaba clash weapons as they rise on a staircase with Kaoruko always a few steps above leaving Futaba to chase her. Then they have a conversation in what appears to be a fancy bar or casino with Kaoruko leading with questions and revelations. This all escalates into the jeep battle which is insanely cool and Kaoruko falling just to be caught like always by Futaba. 70https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/597912439857610819/925908225302343710/futakaostaircase.gif I explain it in full to show that Kaoruko is still someone that Futaba looks up to Futaba doesnt really state this directly because and this is a common theme for the revues the visuals do enough for the audience to tell us that. This revue in particular does a massive amount of heavy lifting with its visuals because while Kaoruko is the one talking and doing its seemingly Futaba that is in control of the stage. Futaba is no longer looking out for Kaoruko because she believes Kaourko can take her to her dreams shes protecting Kaoruko because she loves her. Futaba isnt scared of her own ability shes scared of Kaoruko failing without her. When Futaba gives Kaoruko her motorcycle and asks her to take care of it shes asking Kaoruko to take care of herself. The visuals are a great mix of Kaoruko and Futabas thematic designs showing us power in a modern sense not in a Kyoto castle like in the original series but in the modern equivalent. The song takes this motif as well moving from the traditional japanese stylings of the two original songs of the Futakao revue and adding modern twists with new instruments and rhythmic structure. One of the most visually stunning revues in the franchise and the perfect ending for the two characters whos lives were intertwined. After Revue of Malice is Revue of Competition between Mahiru and Hikari. Mahiru and Hikari have always had such a unique relationship bound by their connections to Karen. And unlike Revue of Malice and the revues to follow this is not a joint production Mahiru is running the show and Hikari is nothing but a participant. 70https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/597912439857610819/925910733844262922/mahikarimontage.gif Because Mahiru is in full control its strange to see that shes still competing with Hikari but this brings us back to Mahrius character: Mahiru is someone defined by others so it doesnt matter how strong she is or how much she can shine on her own. Hikari cant fight back because she knows shell lose and she knows that Mahiru is right. Hikari cant fight because shes scared and Mahiru wants to prove that. The horror sequence caught me off guard but its there to show the fear in Hikari and Mahirus need for Hikari to be her best for Karens sake. It was extremely entertaining and the revue song just added to the creepy tone of the entire sequence. The dissonance in the notes in her voice in the rhythm. Visually speaking this revue has insane transitions and threw my emotions around all over the place. Mahiru has always been borderline unstable and whats amazing is that this revue moves her psyche closer and closer to that line without ever surpassing it. Next was the Revue of Hunting... and man. This revue is absolutely insane. The revue is the full realization of all the themes surrounding Junna and Nanas relationship: Junna has always represented the possibilities of the future and Nana has always represented the safety of the past. Junna is someone defined by failure by following others by having to work for happiness and Nana is someone defined by succeeding by taking control and taking what one has and finding the value in that. Nanas weapons two swords have always represented both the two sides of Nanas personality and her insistence to spread herself thin in order to have more control. On the other hand Junnas weapon a bow represents how she can always see her goal but never reach it no matter how strong her aim it will be her arrow that meets her dreams not her. 70https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/695008037852676199/925874376354693190/kys.gif This is why its so impactful for Nana to break Junnas bow and give her one of her swords. Nana wants Junna to succeed on her own to stop relying on others and to Nana that is the only way Junna can survive and to Nana if Junna must rely on someone it should be Nana and Nana alone. Nana walks away after passing Junna her sword confident that Junna will either die now or pick up the sword and join Nana. But to Nanas surprise Junna makes the sword her own stealing Nanas shine and once again proving that she will make us of others to strengthen herself. It is no longer Nanas sword it is Junnas. And after so long of having to watch from the back as her arrow flew and met her target she finally has the weapon to meet it herself. Thats just one moment from this insane revue one that finds both characters sobbing and eventually splitting off to find their own futures. I could probably talk for hours about this revue alone since it is Junna and Nana that Ive studied the most from the original series and I like I mentioned before this movie is just the characters being fully realized. But Ill spare you that since this review is already insanely long. The music and visuals of this revue are absolutely wild. The text saying star the way Moepiis voice cracks the photographs and the way the one of the Nana and Junna doesnt split apart. Im confident that even without dialogue this revue wouldve broken my heart. The penultimate revue if you want to call the final song a revue is between Claudine and Maya the Revue of Souls a matchup fans of have waited for for years. These two like I mentioned before are defined by each other. Claudine must get better to challenge Maya and Maya must get better to stay above Claudine. Thats their dynamic and it always has been. This revue is no different but really deeply explores what that dynamic actually means. And what theyve settled on... is wonderfully unexpected. The idea that Maya is God and Claudine is Satan is something Ive never even considered but thats pretty much all this revue is and that part isnt subtle. Unlike everyone else it appears theres no other options for these two except for pursuing the stage. Maya even goes as far to say that there is no regular Maya only the stage girl. 70https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/597912439857610819/925902139069440000/mayakurostage.gif Whats probably most impressive about their revue is the visuals showing them in a plethora of different stage plays and stories showing that both will rise to any role thrown at them. Theres so many sections that are just... amazing. Visual masterpieces. This is also the longest revue in the movie by a fair amount showing just how stubborn both sides are while Maya must continue to win Claudine has made up her mind to not lose. This dynamic gives us a battle of gods one to remember. Musically speaking this Revue obviously takes a lot from Pride and Arrogance but never feels like its just a rehash of that original revue. In the original series we never really got to see a true Claudine revue so her taking control here to change what should be an easy victory for Maya well its Claudine challenging fate itself. The last revue which is less of a revue and more of a final scene is titled simply: The Final Lines. Its the final confrontation between Hikari and Karen and the followup to their confrontation at the beginning of the film. It is here that we get the fourthwall break akin to the one from the original where Karen and Hikari address the audience directly. And then Karen dies. And then shes reborn. The entire franchise has been leading up to this moment. In the original series a common trope was for the characters to reveal their rebirths from unambitious mannequins to stage girls. Here that rebirth is visually shown to be the transition from students to adults but nobody actually died. And thats because for them there was never a huge difference between their lives as stage girls now and in the future other than how they themselves saw it. But for Karen... Part 4: Themes and the Ending Spoilers ... its different. The inclusion of the scenes of Karens backstory can be somewhat easy to forget since its very easy to focus on the visual feasts to be found in even just one of the revues. But it was equally important to show Karens growth because despite not appearing in any of the five revues prior this is Karens movie. Kaoruko pursues the stage for her legacy. Futaba pursues the stage for her love. Mahiru pursues the stage for her kinship. Junna pursues the stage for her future. Nana pursues the stage for her happiness. Claudine pursues the stage for her strength. Maya pursues the stage for her life. HIkari pursues the stage because it is her fate. One she has roped Karen into. So Karen pursued her stage for Hikari. But that wasnt Karen. In their backstory and shown in the series Karen was seemingly always apathetic before meeting Hikari. But we see that afterwards even without HIkari Karen is capable of making friends albeit with never as deep of a relationship. But she always had the promise that fate that causes her to change whilst performing. The Karen we see is not the real one it is simply the Karen of the stage. But that doesnt mean there cant be a stage girl Karen. It just means that she needs to be reborn to let her stage die and to fly from the ashes to become the true Karen Aijo the true stage girl that was sought out by the audience for the past 3 years. This movie really has no reason to exist again the original series was very complete in its own right. But one of the major themes of the original series was the audience played a role in the story too and we the audience have willed this film into existence. 70https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/597912439857610819/925909808018763776/karendies2.gif The themes of this movie likely span much further than that but in terms of Karens story and perhaps the stories of all the stage girls I think this movie has finally done it. This movie doesnt say anything directly but its message is clear. So finally... I understand.