We continue our series of reviews chronicling all of the (non-Studio Ghibli) animated films distributed by GKIDS Films — some of the most original and breathtakingly beautiful animated films from around the world — and how they hold up for a young American audience.

The entire retrospective is found here, and this time we’ve got…

Fireworks (2017):
Akiyuki Shinbō & Nobuyuki Takeuchi, directors

What’s it about?

It’s a teenage love triangle… with a time travel twist. Totally ordinary teens Norimichi and Yusuke both like their classmate Nazuna, yet she’s fairly unapproachable and seems to live mostly in her own world. However, when she learns that she’s being forced to move away with her mother, she makes the decision to run away – and take one of the boys with her.

To Norimichi’s dismay, she chooses Yusuku even though he’s clearly more interested in spending the summer with his friends – endlessly debating whether fireworks are flat or round when they explode. (This is a major plot point.)

For his part, Norimichi soon finds a strange glass ball that has the power to turn back time, and since he retains his memories of what happened, he can reset events so they happen differently… and in his favor.

Think of it a bit like Edge of Tomorrow, but instead of Tom Cruise dying over and over to ultimately win a war, Norimichi uses the power to ensure he and Nazuna evade her mother (who is simply trying to stop her from running away) and end up together.

It’s kind of obvious teenage wish fulfillment.

What are the cultures at play? And how about the languages?

This is a Japanese film set in a small seaside village during the summer, and the day we repeat is the day of a summer fireworks festival at the town’s lighthouse (thus the kids’ argument about flat vs round fireworks). On a surface level, it’s a charming slice-of-life look at youthful summer.

As always, I recommend watching the original-language dub. In the case of Fireworks, the little I saw of the English dub was… not good. So yeah, Japanese all the way here.

Will my kids like it? Is there anything objectionable for young kids?

It’s probably a bit too confusing for really young kids. Kids 8 and up should be able to follow the plot, such as it is. Will they like it, though? Maybe. It deals with the surge of adolescent emotions, the urgency of a first “love,” loneliness, and the desire to turn back time and correct your dopey mistakes. A lot of kids can probably relate.

There’s nothing really objectionable, but there is a recurring conversation among the group of male friends about the size of their teacher’s breasts. The female lead, Nazuna, is also fairly one-note and powerless. Norimichi is the hero who learns and grows with each time reset; Nazuna remains a weak “damsel in distress” in need of saving.

Will I like it?

Honestly? Maybe not. I didn’t hate it, but after poking around online and looking at a few reviews, it looks like most people actively disliked Fireworks… fairly intensely. If you’re an animation fan (or a Japanese anime fan in particular), other films have probably set a pretty high standard that this film just won’t meet. If you’re new to the genre, then Fireworks might leave you scratching your head and wondering if all anime is this… bizarre.

Don’t get me wrong, the animation is gorgeous, and it’s undeniably pretty. There are several scenes that are just lovely to watch (including the titular fireworks). But the story doesn’t really go anywhere, and the characters are flat and never develop. There are far better films to watch, and there are certainly many more GKIDS films that are more worth your hour and a half.

How can I see it?

GKIDS and Shout! Factory released a Blu-ray edition of the film that includes a few bonus features: an interview with the director, a focus on the English cast, and some trailers. The film is also available digitally from most retailers (and is currently on Netflix with both languages).

Final word?

Meh. Watch it for the eye candy animation, but don’t hold your breath for an amazing story or deep, relatable characters.