The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes Review

By Justin D Williams

Kaoru Tono heard a rumor: The laws of space and time mean nothing to the Urashima Tunnel. If you find it, walk through and you'll find your heart's desire on the other side...in exchange for years of your own life. One night, Kaoru just so happens to find himself standing in front of a tunnel that looks suspiciously like the one the rumor describes. He finds himself thinking of Karen, the sister he lost in an accident five years ago. To Kaoru's surprise, he's been followed by the new transfer student Anzu Hanashiro, who promises to help him experiment with the mysterious tunnel—but what does she want from Kaoru in exchange? And what will he have left to give, after the tunnel's done with him?

We have seen a variety of anime movies this year that are top contenders for anime of the year. Such films as Slam Dunk, Blue Giant, and Suzume are three anime movies that come to mind. We can now add The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes to the list. The film is an enjoyable ride from start to finish with compelling characters, a beautiful concept, and a rich setting. The film works at its core with the two main leads Kaoru and Anzu. Each character deals with a certain pain that they need to overcome. The tunnel being able to grant wishes comes with a bit of a twist which I won’t delve into due to spoilers. Kaoru is dealing with the death of his sister Karen. While Anzu has more of a goal that she wants to achieve. Both characters need each other to help them achieve their wishes. The characterization shines especially in building the friendship and love between Anzu and Kaoru. Audiences will enjoy the story and character development.

Animation and voice acting is also great. The highlight of the animation is the tunnel with the use of bright vibrant colors and a mix of 2d and 3d backgrounds blend in well. Voice acting from the Japanese dub was also great. Stellar performances all around.

Overall The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes is a good film with a lot of heart. It has a great love story, and some more mature themes that will have you cheering for the characters.

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