Film Review: Goodbye, Don Glees!

By J.D. Kelly

Goodbye, Don Glees! Is the newest anime film from director and screenwriter Atsuko Ishizuka and studio Madhouse. This combination previously brought us No Game, No Life and A Place Further Than the Universe, among others. The film had its American premiere at Anime Expo 2022 where I was able to watch it.

At its core Goodbye, Don Glees! is a coming-of-age adventure story centered around a group of three teenage boys. Rouma, (Voiced by Natsuki Hanae: Kaneki Ken from Tokyo Ghoul and Tanjiro from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba), is a fifteen-year-old high school freshman who decides to stay in his middle-of-nowhere town when his buddy, and co-founder of the DonGlees, Hokuto “Toto” (Voiced by Yuki Kaji: Eren from Attack on Titan and Todoroki from My Hero Academia), decided to go to school in Tokyo to study to become a doctor. In the time since Toto left for Tokyo, a new member has joined the DonGlees: Shizuku “Drop” (Voiced by Ayumu Murase: Kazuki from Sarazanmai and Shoyo Hinata from Haikyu!!), another fifteen-year-old who doesn’t go to school.  

At the start of the movie, Toto has returned home for summer break right before the big fireworks show. Neither he nor Rouma has been invited so they plan to continue their yearly tradition of having their own smaller fireworks party. This is when Toto is introduced to Drop as Rouma ponders purchasing a drone to film their fireworks show. In the chaos that ensues during their impromptu show, the drone flies off into the distance and crashes, while a sudden forest fire breaks out on another mountainside. Afraid that the police will believe their old classmates’ accusations that they started the fire (For the record, they didn’t. It was always burning since the world was turning.), they set out to track down the drone in hopes that it has footage that could serve as an alibi for them.

This begins the tried and true coming-of-age teenage adventure that takes them into the woods like in Stand by Me or The Goonies.  This movie hits all of the tropes of those movies. Do they get lost?  Yes. Is there a montage? Multiple. Do they fight and make up? Yes.  Does everything get tense when someone’s life is in danger? You bet your bottom dollar it does. Do they get attacked by a wild animal? Does a bear poop in the woods?

This is not to say that these sequences are boring or predictable. Tropes are tools after all and Ishizuka blends all of these scenes masterfully so that come together for all the intended emotional impact. Over the course of their adventures, these boys find not only a renewed and strengthened friendship but also direction for their lives that they were looking for. The movie also sees the boys making one last discovery in the third act that puts events of the film in a new context. It might be a bit too long for some but I greatly enjoyed it.

The art of movie is phenomenal as expected of Madhouse on a movie budget. I don’t think nature has ever looked as good in anime especially the water and trees of the forest. The stars shown in many scenes are also beautiful capturing the beauty of the sky in the middle of nowhere with all the colors. The score also helps emphasize all of the moments I mentioned above.
 
In short, I cannot recommend you see this movie enough when it comes out in wide release later this year in September. I know I will still be talking about it when the end of the year comes and it’s time to pick the best anime films of the year.

Overall Rating: A+

For More Information on Goodbye, Don Glees!:
https://gkids.com/films/goodbye-don-glees/