Karen Aijou

Revue Starlight: The Movie came out in Japanese theaters on June 4, 2021. It was first planned for late May, but the date moved because of the COVID-19 emergency in Japan. The film was made by the studio Kinema Citrus and directed by Tomohiro Furukawa. It runs about two hours, and a large part of that time, around fifty minutes, is made of musical numbers. It continues the TV series, so new viewers should watch the series first. The story belongs to a bigger project called Revue Starlight. It began as a mix of stage plays, an anime, a mobile game, and music. The idea is a school for young performers, the Seisho Music Academy in Tokyo. At night, the students are pulled into a strange underground theater below a copy of Tokyo Tower. There they take part in the "revue", a stage show that is also a duel. The girls sing, dance, and fight with real swords, and the winner earns the chance to be the top star. It is a mix of school drama, music, and fantasy action. The film follows the girls in their final year of school. They have to think about what comes after graduation. Karen Aijo is the cheerful, simple-hearted girl at the center. Years ago, she made a promise to her childhood friend Hikari Kagura, that the two of them would stand on the same stage. Hikari is quiet, serious, and more guarded. In the story so far, she studied abroad in London and came back to the academy. Now, as the film begins, Hikari has gone away again, and Karen is left asking who she is without the person who pushed her forward. Other classmates also matter a lot. Claudine Saijo and Maya Tendo are top students and long-time rivals. Junna Hoshimi and Nana Daiba have their own hopes and worries about the future. The movie gives each of them a chance to face a hard question: what do I want to do with my life now that school is ending? This is a story about growing up, not just about fighting. The movie is known for its bold style. The stage scenes use bright colors, dramatic lights, strange sets, and original songs. The fights are shown like dance numbers, with powerful music behind each move. Many fans like how it uses these big scenes to show feelings that the characters cannot say out loud. There are also quiet moments, such as a long walk by Karen toward Tokyo Tower, where she thinks about her past with Hikari. Themes include friendship, ambition, loss, and finding your own path. Some fans also read the bond between Karen and Hikari as a deep love story. The tone is emotional and artistic, and it asks the viewer to feel as well as follow the plot.