♾ Yuki (유키 雪) :dolphin:

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A lot of life lessons to be learned from this, most especially when it comes to relationships, encouragement, and healing.

• Music/BGM: Love it!
• Animation: Perfect for the plot and message.
• Pace: Same thing, perfect for the plot and message.
• Voice actors (original): Matches well for the characters and their backgrounds.

In the end, the story is sad. The only one whose memories of the “Lonely Castle in the Mirror” were erased was the wish maker, our main character. It kind of points to “No good deed goes unpunished”. Our main character made the perfect wish which saved everyone, healed everyone, and led them to their new path in life.

But like any wish, it has to be paid, be it a good or bad wish. There is equivalence. Or, “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. She made the perfect wish, a wish that resonated throughout time and changed the path of six other people. Something like that will cause an equal and opposite reaction; or a major payment. This was in the form of memories for the wish maker. Everyone remembers but her.

As for how the 6 other kids were able to remember, it was because of the Wolf Queen. She made her own wish for the sake of her little brother. Actually, there were 7 kids who remembered, the 6 + the Wolf Queen. Thus, only the wish maker has forgotten.

This brings me to how I love the way they paid attention to current “proverbs” and time-travel. They combined it all together and woven a great story with a lot of lessons in it.

Highly recommended. Full 10 stars!

It is a 2024 fantasy “damsel [in distress]” story. If you have read a lot of fantasy novels, or watched fantasy movies, the story will be very predictable for you right from the beginning (even that glowing larvae were too predictable). Thus, you should put those aside and just enjoy it for what it is: a 2024 fantasy movie.

The production was good. The animation was fluid, and they did take effort in creating the dragon more alive instead of taking shortcuts. For example, the dragon takes time to gain momentum, or had to do manoeuvres to have a controlled landing; instead of just plain flying or landing.

The acting was good and believable, and even though there weren't character backgrounds, one could easily imagine what kind of persons the characters were.

However, they should've not had any excessive screaming and running. They could've replaced those with the main character and the dragon exchanging heated conversations. Since she's screaming a lot instead of being quiet, might as well have a conversation instead of screaming here and there.

But, I think, what they want to show was how panic can make humans forget their intellect and wisdom. Survival is fight or flight, and the main character reacted with the latter. Which, in the end, we've seen how she's an intelligent and wise woman capable of doing things when she's in “fight” mode.

If we look at it from that perspective, then yes, they did well in telling the story and sending that message; and why she kept on screaming and running.

Another good lesson here is humanity's constant fear, leading to unwise decisions. As the dragon said, they killed her daughters unprovoked. That hinted how she would've left them alone, probably migrated later.

Then again, was it truly ‘fear’? The first king did say, “for the glory!” They were hunting. Which brings us to, well, wars. Was it about ‘fear’ or because we are ‘hunting’ and sugar-coating it to justify our actions? Similar to how the latter kings and queens did.

Last, but not the least, they showed us how weak a familial relationship is if a parent can sacrifice their children in the name of money and alleviating poverty. We assume it is justified because the people comes first. However, what kind of ruler are you if you are willing to sacrifice your own children? It speaks volume to your character and the high possibility you'll do it for anyone else.

You just don't. No matter what happens, a parent should never ever sacrifice their children, or use them to make money. Using your people/constituents to justify what you're doing/did to your children is nothing but an excuse.

Good lessons there, which I hope those who watched, and will watch, will also catch and be reminded about.

If you watched this first before “To Every You I've Loved Before”, you might get confused and find “To Me, The One Who Loved You” less appealing. Even though the production team and writer claimed that these two stories are standalone and can be watched in any order, I strongly discourage you from doing so. Watch “To Me, The One Who Loved You” first before watching “To Every You I've Loved Before”.
That said, let's go to the explanation of the ending.

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This is assuming you've watched both already, preferably “To Every You I've Loved Before” first, then “To Me, The One Who Loved You” next.

At first, the timeshift would have been useless since Koyomi chose to timeshift to himself before the divergence occurred, which was before he had to choose between his mother and father. Why? The parallel world where he picked his mother, let's call it the “Kazune-world”, will just happen the way it is. Nothing will change, even if Koyomi from the “Shiori-world” (where Koyomi picked his father) timeshifts to it.

Timeshifting doesn't change the past because (1) the shifted identity will not remember anything. Zero. Zilch. The timeshifted identity will simply merge with its past self and that's it, his future knowledge is gone. In other words, his timeshifting was useless.

However, that was not the point. Koyomi from Shiori-world realised how him and Shiori Ghost are quantum entangled. So, no matter where or when Koyomi goes, Shiori will be dragged as well, be in space or in time. The quantum physics in this multiverse is that, those that are quantum entangled must exist in the same space and at the same time (side note: in the real-world quantum entanglement, both objects can exist anywhere in space and anywhen in time).

Koyomi realised that when he dies, Shiori will be stuck as the Ghost at the Intersection, forever. So, he tried to find a way to timeshift so he can drag Shiori's ghost with him and merge her with her past version in the “Kazune-world”.

This is why the ending of “To Me, The One Who Loved You” ended with both of them going down together. Once they reach the past, Koyomi of the Shiori-world will merge with his past self and forget himself; and Shiori will also merge with her past self and forget herself.

Back in the Shiori-world, the Ghost at the Intersection will cease since Shiori is gone as well; while Koyomi will probably be in a coma for a short while until his body gives up.

Q: How come, in “To Every You I've Loved Before”, the old Koyomi from the Kazune-world saw the Shiori ghost?

It was the promise they made not to forget. It was their hope. Somehow, this part of their memory resurfaced 66 years later at that intersection, which allowed Koyomi of Shiori-world, and Shiori Ghost, to meet one final time.

Hence, when Koyomi of the Kazune-world looked at his IP watch, it was “error”. The reason is, he never parallel shifted. His personality just had a sudden interruption because the remnant Koyomi of the Shiori-world resurfaced at that moment.

Q: How can the Shiori Ghost be explained?

It could either be Koyomi of the Shiori-world's imagination; or, the Shiori who merged with the Shiori of Kazune-world, somehow was able to manifest herself at that moment.

Remember, Shiori of the Kazune-world was also at that exact same area at that exact time. Like Koyomi, who had a momentary identity interruption, Shiori more likely did as well.

Thus, when everything went back to “normal”, Shiori of the Kazune-world showed up to pick up the medicine of Koyomi of the Kazune-world. Shiori was there too. The fact that it took a few minutes for Shiori to show up, hints that she probably collapsed or fell asleep as Shiori Ghost momentarily manifested herself. Remember, the two Shiori's merged when they were kids.

That's how the two films are connected.

As far as Koyomi of the Shiori-world is concerned, he gave Shiori a chance to live a new life, by merging her to her Kazune-world version.

Q: But wait! The timeshift was before the Koyomi divergence!

Correct. That means, Shiori Ghost and Koyomi of Shiori-world, were also in both parallel worlds. So, yes, there is a version of them that keeps on repeating the Shiori-world events.

In my opinion, Koyomi should have chosen to timeshift to the Kazune-world, right after the Koyomi divergence. Or maybe that's what he did, and the subtitle translation was inaccurate.

One last thing:
Q: When did Koyomi of Shiori-world formed his plan?
A: When Koyomi shifted again to Koyomi of Kazune-world, where Koyomi and Kazune slept together.

That was when Koyomi of Shiori-world understood what to do, and why he was willing to make the sacrifice.

Easter egg:
In “To Every You I've Loved Before”, Kazune kept on talking about the Koyomi who saved her when they were little kids. It was Kazune of Shiori-world. He did not exactly save Kazune, he was simply chasing his dog who was chasing another dog that was chasing Kazune. For Kazune, that made Koyomi kind, helpful, friendly, thoughtful, especially after she saw his affection with his dog.

They probably had a short interaction, hence Kazume also kept saying that Koyomi is this and that good qualities, but the Koyomi in high school is different.

That's basically it. ^_^

For the non-spoiler part:
1. The time travel is straightforward and easy to follow. No advance time travel theories. No time travel gymnastics. Nothing crazy. Pretty much linear.

I strongly advise finishing the entire series first because the show itself explained the linearity of the time travel. Again, it's simple and easy to follow.

However… this is the SPOILER part.

They made a mistake on two things:
1. They dated the murder of Kwon Min-Ju on 1998-10-13.
2. When Han Jun Hee arrived in July 1998, her dialogue was she realised she only had 3 months to save Min-Ju.

Yet, in Episode 10/11, when Jung In-Kyu was about to jump to his death, he recalled the Christmas he, Nam Si-Heon, and Kwon Min-Ju, spent together. If Kwon Min-Ju did die on 1998-10-13, then how did he have a memory of spending Christmas together?

Kwon Min-Ju was murdered on 1999-10-13. Han Jun-Hee controlled the body of Kwon Min-Ju for almost 15 months. She spent 5 months in 1998; and spent 10 months in 1999. Not 3 months in 1998.

I'm not sure how they missed this very important detail; or why they filmed a Christmas scene and included it in Jung In Kyu's memories. If Kwon Min-Ju was indeed murdered in 1998-10-13, then the Christmas scene was not possible. If the Christmas scene was correct, then she died on 1999-10-13.

Okay, so it was indeed a game as suspected and it was Se Eun's parents who programmid it and the "AI" Jung Won who learned how to hack it.

I think episode showing Jung Won creating the game was her learning the harsh fate of everyone, and she's continually trying to end the game.

Also, Jung Won seems to be making sure Jae In remembers bits and pieces of the previous games. And in the finale episode, Jae In remembers everything from the previous one, including when she was awakened by Se Eun's parents.

The real question here is this: Did See Eun's mother reprogrammed Jung Won?

When the game reset, Jung Won was sitting far from Jae In. Also, Jung Won looks at Jae In with contempt.

I'm highly suspecting Se Eun's mother changed Jung Won (the AI) and now Jae In will be the one who will suffer the most since she volunteered to take responsibility.

I think that's what She Eun's mother did, she reprogrammed Jung Won to "think" that Jae In is the primary person responsible. Hence, Jung Won was looking at Jae In with contempt.

Even moreso, Jae In remembering everything is an additional layer of "punishment". She will be the only one who will remember the pain, as Se Eun's mother wanted.

The 10th Hunger Games. Why 10th? Simple, it is both completion and a new beginning.

Now that's telling.
1. Completion of the "experiment" (if you will) if the Hunger Games work.
2. A new beginning to the Hunger Games. Since now they know it does work.
3. Completion of the old way. i.e Snow's father's idea.
4. Welcoming the new way. i.e. Snow's new idea.
5. Completion of the foundation the Snow family started.
6. The beginning of the real Hunger Games.

If you think about how the Hunger Games ended later with the death of Snow, you'll realised how poetic it was. The father implemented it (after stealing the idea). The son managed and improved it, and eventually died together with it.

Ironically, everything about "Katniss", the Mockingjay, betrayal, District 12, the song about the hanging tree; it started with Snow, and it was his downfall too.

If there was one thing Snow won, it was when Katniss killed the President of District 13. His laugh was a victory laugh. Because in the end, Snow died as a Victor.

Victor? Lucy left him. Lucy sang to him her last song. Lucy told him the name "katniss". Lucy told him about the Mockingjay. When Katniss shot the arrow against the District 13 President, that was Snow symbolically winning Lucy back in the end. Or, his revenge against Lucy. That hey, "I, Snow, turned Katniss, your Mockingjay my dear Lucy, to fulfill my last desire. Because I am a Victor."

I'm speaking here as an autistic person, my score is 7 out of 10.

Also note:
* I've heard a lot of good things about this.
* This was released 10 years ago.

Those said and considered:
1. The show is not about the autistic person, or autism for that matter. Autism was only used as a literary device to create a drama, like most other shows (be it Asian or Western) where there is an autistic character.

1. There was an excessive emphasis on "dumb", "stupid", and "idiot". Instead of it making people emphatize, it makes an audience hateful.

2. None of them actually showed that they finally understood autism and autistic people. To the very end, it was all about "do this" and "do that" so people will accept you and respect you. Sure, this is a common problem with society, however, should they have ended it that way? People will unconsciously think that's the proper way. It is not acceptance, it is forcing an autistic person to be "neurotypical".

And yet, 박시온 (Park Shi On) said in the last episode that it hurts him more when he's trying to remove his difference. But the people around him still acted the same way to end. There's a disconnect there.

1. The female lead is a prime example of a lover who doesn't understand a single thing about autism and autistic persons. She never showed any sign that she's doing her best to understand him, nope, instead she's doing her best to make him a "normal" person.

Yes, that's how it is in the real world. I've been in such a relationship. However, why leave it that way? She want to do things her way to the end. She will eventually get tired and quit. They will have a lot of fights. 시온 (Shi On) will just keep doing the same thing, keep quiet, say it is okay, say he is not mad, because he is always the one doing the "understanding".

What they did was to only validate that this relationship is doomed to fail instead of showing how a relationship with an autistic person can be if done properly.

1. The entire show, it was 박시온 who did the understanding and adjustments. Basically, the show taught us that autistic people should mask, mask, mask, and mask more. That no one will accept you unless you "get over" your autism (or in other words, mask your autism).

Conclusion:
* While it did show the discrimination, stereotype, and prejudices against autistic people.
* While it did capture the traits and quirks of an autistic person well.
* I cannot recommend this show at all because it does more damage than in helping the autistic cause.

If I watched this when it was released in 2013, yes, I would say the same thing and rate it similarly. I'm sorry.

Just watch 이상한 변호사 우영우 (Extraordinary Attorney Woo).