A New Day Will Dawn
- Movie : 59 minutes
- Genre : Slice of Life, Drama, Shounen Ai, Romance, Music
- Airing Date : August 22, 2020
- Producers : Lerche
While the TV anime centered around how Ritsuka and Mayufu’s relationship develops, Given (the movie, known in Japan as Eiga Given) takes a different path, focusing on the lives of band members Akihiko and Haruki and their personal lives outside of the band. The movie starts with Mafuyu and Akihiko going to a violin concert where the prodigy, Ugetsu, is playing. Once Mafuyu hears Ugetsu play, he’s hit with the sudden urge to write music, so he visits Akihito at his place, only to find out that Ugetsu is also living there. And then it hits him: Akihiko is just like him, pursuing an unrequited love and only suffering because of that.
Even though his relationship with Ugetsu is going nowhere, Akihiko can’t let go, and he keeps going back to the place where he once felt safe. Meanwhile, Haruki watches his friend (and love interest) crash and burn. Soon, Akihiko realizes that he can’t stay next to Ugetsu and selfishly asks Haruki if he can stay at his place. Akihiko takes out his anger on Haruki, forcing him to have sex and apologizing afterwards. Of course, this doesn’t sit well with Haruki, who leaves the place only to return later the next day. Since Haruki is a kind soul, he allows Akihiko to stay there; their relationship grows stronger and it starts showing whenever they practice with Mafuyu and Ritsuka.
At the same time, Mafuyu is trying to come up with the lyrics for his new song—there are a lot of things that he wants to convey, but he can’t find the right words. Feeling like Ugetsu can help, he visits him and learns about Ugetsu’s relationship with Akihiko. With the lyrics finally complete, the band is ready to perform for a chance to participate in a really important event. The song is so moving it helps Akihiko realize that he should stop chasing after Ugetsu, so after the performance, he goes after him and finally ends their relationship. Some time after this, Akihiko performs at a violin concert and Haruki is there to watch him, but he leaves before it’s over because he starts feeling overwhelmed. Akihiko finds him sitting outside the venue and confesses his love. The movie ends with Haruki saying he’ll go out with Akihiko, walking hand in hand with the flowers in full bloom.
Why You Should Watch Given (Movie)
1. We Learn More About the Band Members
The anime was fine, but it left us wanting to know more about Mafuyu and Ritsuka’s bandmates. With this film, we finally get to see more of Akihiko’s backstory and why he behaves the way he does. It explores the reasons why he’s not comfortable playing the violin anymore and it shows how complicated his relationship with Ugetsu actually is. It also delves deeper into Haruki’s sense of inferiority and how he’s always thinking he’s less than the rest of the band members.
2. The Songs Will Give You Goosebumps
We’ve already seen in the anime that Given’s soundtrack is amazing, but the movie’s OST is even better! Every instrumental piece that plays in the background helps set the mood for the scene, and the bits where Akihiko and Ugetsu play the violin will definitely give you goosebumps. Needless to say, the final song, with Mafuyu’s sweet yet raw voice, is absolutely amazing. Don’t skip the ending credits, because there’s yet another song worth listening to!
3. The Story Actually Goes Somewhere
Most of the time, BL anime and films have a really flimsy plot, with characters running around just because. Given, however, doesn’t need to fill up its runtime with useless misunderstandings. From start to finish, the film is clear about the story it’s trying to tell, and by not overcomplicating things, it manages to keep us hooked until the end, something we’re grateful for.
Why You Should Skip Given (Movie)
1. It Will Make You Cry
Wrning! Given might seem like the story of a band trying to make it big, but it’s more than that. It’s about heartbreak, unrequited love and how hard it is to move on. Seeing Haruki suffer throughout the film is painful, even more so because Akihiko behaves like a selfish brat… Moreover, Mafuyu’s song during the concert is powerful and moving, with lyrics that will resonate with anyone who’s suffered because of love. Prepare some tissues before you watch this film!
2. It Feels Like It’s Not Enough
Not to sound greedy, but the film will probably leave you staring at the ending credits feeling like there’s something missing. When the last scene comes and we see Akihiko and Haruki finally deciding to go out, of course, we want to see what’s happening next, but the film just ends there. Can we please get some more?! It just feels like we didn’t get enough…
3. It Can Feel a Bit Rushed
The first half of the film goes by at a good pace, setting the atmosphere and easing us into the story, but the second half feels rushed. The movie skips some bits of the manga to be able to get to Haruki’s violin concert right at the end. It’s not really that big of a deal, since it just skips filler chapters, but it still makes us wonder how it felt like for Haruki to share his house with Akihiko for a while.
We’ve been waiting for an official Western version of this film since last year, and it didn’t disappoint. The animation, the soundtrack, the voice acting… everything about this film is great, so it will definitely please both manga readers and anime watchers.
Given (Movie) is a must-watch for every fujoshi out there! Even if you don’t like BL anime or if it’s not your prefered genre, you should still give this film a try, because it’s not just about two men falling in love—it’s about the desire to convey feelings through music.
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