[Ragashingo]

Yep. The movie did a good job of answering the question: Now what? Each of the girls, but Karen in particular, had successfully reached an ending. I liked that it didn't just treat them as a singular package that would somehow move through live and their professional careers always together. Instead, they each have to struggle to find new beginnings.

The animation was very good this time around. It's not over the top flashy like a Fate movie or anything, but it was consistently in line with the high points of the series. The songs were all excellent. I was a little worried because I didn't like the remixes they did for the Rondo Rondo Rondo recap movie, but there was nothing to fear. The six Revues were splendid shows of light and sound.

All in all, the movie was both cute and bombastic. It was dripping with symbolism, but in a way to give the scene and Revues another layer of meaning. If this is to be the last major Revue Starlight story I'd be very happy to have it end here.

Spoiler:

This is very much a movie about moving on in life. A few of the 99th class, like Maya and Futaba, either received invitations to join a new national school, while others, like Kaoruko, already had their own plans. This puts several of the girls at odds with each other. Moving on in life not just to new stages but away from the friends they'd made.

The first Revue is basically Banana trying to get it through to everyone that their fight isn't over. That they will soon be moving on to new stages and that the fight to be a stage girl never ends. There's some pretty cool animation here as Banana just takes everyone apart. The concept that the train will reach its destination, but will they reach their next stage as Stage Girls was neat and echoed throughout the movie.

In the second Revue, Kaoruko and Futaba have to deal with the reality that their childhood promise is ending. When they were kids, Futaba promised to follow Kaoruko and watch as she became a star. But now, Futaba is applying to the national school, while Kaoruko is heading back home to lead her dance school. Their Revue is sorta a flip of the one in the series. Not visually. Visually is some cool scenes from a samurai movie and then a cabaret. But emotionally, it's about them moving apart and being ok with it. Also, I think it was super sweet that although Futaba won't be there to support Kaoruko directly anymore, she is lending Kaoruko her Tonda motorcycle so she can still help carry her in spirit!

The third Revue is both fun and scary as Mahiru criticizes Hikari for going back to London after she and Karen starred in the 100th Starlight play. It starts off with a bunch of quick, fun scene changes all with an olympic theme. Like a swing of Mahiru's mace instantly becomes a thrust of a fencing sword blocked by Hikari in full fencing gear. But, half way through, Mahiru funnels her previous jealousy of Hikari monopolizing Karen's time in the series to push Hikari to go apologize to Karen for returning to London so suddenly. Mahiru gets legitimately scary for a bit and the Revue turns almost to horror as a result. It's a really cool shift. Then, in the end, Mahiru comes out of it and returns to the sweet, encouraging girl that she is and encourages Hikari to make amends with Karen.

The fourth Revue is interesting. This is the one where my crappy Chinese -> Google Translate -> English subs do the worst job, but what I think is going on is Junna has tried to reach her own star but has sorta lost her way. Banana is there not so much as a friend, but as someone telling Junna to drop out if all she can do is quote other people's encouragement while not accomplishing anything. The Revue, then, is Junna both carrying on with her hard work and proverbs, but also Junna learning to trust more in herself and her own strength. Banana shatters the gem in her bow, but she picks up one of Banana's swords and continues on. Though Junna gets knocked down by Banana again and again, she keeps rising back up and defies the more passive, pure role Banana had for her, to finally become her own star. The two sorta part ways destined for different stages, but both hope to act on the same stage with each other in the future.

The fifth Revue is an epic, four act battle between Maya and Claudine. Maya sees herself as something of an impassive role model of perfection who is empty inside as she sets a perfect example for others to follow. Claudine sees herself as Maya's true rival but wants confirmation of that. By the end of the Revue, that goes through a few big scene changes including the final one that is a strong callback to the Karen / Maya Revue in the series, both Maya and Claudine admit their love of the stage and that it is only one another that can push each other higher. Claudine wins this round, but Maya says there's always the next day's battle. The two end laying opposite of each other holding hands over Position Zero similar to Karen and Hikari in the series.

Interspaced throughout, we've been getting flashbacks to Karen as she grew up. We see her first childhood meeting with Hikari. We see how the two went to see their first Starlight. And we get to see how Karen let their promise guide her life as she grew up. It's actually pretty sweet. But, in the end, even with their promise, Karen has to walk her own road, literally... in the metaphysical Starlight desert.

For the sixth and final Revue, Karen reaches Hikari who is waiting for her on their Promise Tower. Karen thanks Hikari for giving her the promise that helped drive her all her life. She admits that she never really noticed the heat of the spotlights or the stare of the audience because she was so focused on her promise with Hikari. There's definitely some fourth wall breaking here. But, now that they've actually fulfilled their promise and done Starlight together, Karen feels empty inside. She doesn't know what to do next. Hikari knows the answer. They each have to move on to their next stage. This Revue isn't so much a battle. Rather, it's a visually extravagant depiction of Karen coming to that same conclusion. In the end, their Promise Tower is ripped in half by Karen's realization. But, it lands back on Position Zero and though Karen is both fulfilled and empty inside, she now knows that there will be new stages to be on and new roles to strive for.