The 2025 movie in which I saw myself
I've been wanting to write about this film since the day I saw it. Classic me, though, has been putting it off for months and months until I decided that I should finally post my thoughts on the 1-year anniversary of me watching it - May 5th.
You may notice that I have missed that deadline.
In an even more typical fashion I didn't write the thing I wanted to write, so instead this is being posted on the 1-year anniversary of my second viewing. Indeed, I paid for two tickets and two overpriced popcorn-with-drink combos because this film resonated with me on such a personal level that I wanted to see it twice - and I debated a third. I understand it's not a perfect movie and obviously not for everyone, but I am at the bullseye of their target demographic and good god they shot straight.
Of course the film I am talking about today is...!
劇場版プロジェクトセカイ 壊れたセカイと歌えないミク - known internationally as Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can't Sing.
The Miku movie.
For some, it would be completely unsurprising that I am calling this my all-time favourite movie. But for most I imagine that calling this the pinacle of cinema over any literary canon or actual cult classics would raise one or both eyebrows.
For me, however, this film ticks all the boxes to be something I would fall in love with: a setting & characters I already adore, primary themes of music & companionship, and an audio-visual presentation that (in my opinion) is nothing short of beautiful. Once again I state that I know this film isn't for everyone, but as someone who has dedicated my life to music and grew up in an environment that places so much importance on mateship and comradery (on top of just being a really big Proseka fan) perhaps it starts to all make sense.
The first time I watched the movie I drove a decent ways from home to a cinema and suburb I'd never been to. The turnout was expectedly small, consisting of mostly teenagers & young adults like me that were there to see their favourite virtual idol on the big screen (plus a handful of confused parents). I was a bit concerned at first - given the group at the front screamed at the Ado concert trailer before the movie as if she'd just walked into the theatre - but they were a great audience during the screening which was greatly appreciated; had I been on my own I'm sure I would've been more reluctant to laugh at jokes and let my emotions fly but having others react the same made it that much more enjoyable.
I almost got away with an entire theatre to myself on the second viewing before two people (presumably a mother and her kid) entered during the ads and sat in the opposite corner. Since they were nearly dead quiet the whole time I let myself enjoy more of the details the second time and let myself decipher exactly what it was that I loved about the movie so much.
The conclusion I came to is this:
The main message of this film is something that I have lived by and strived for as long as I have pursued music beyond being a student - that message being the importance of music as a healing, a way to connect and a form of pure art. This is the purpose music has served in my life since I was born! These are the things I wish to achieve in my own songwriting and musical storytelling and to see it realised not just on a cinema screen but by a franchise & characters I love so dearly is nothing short of inspirational.
To quote the wall of text I wrote and sent to my friends at midnight after my second viewing:
I turn to my favourite artists and albums when I’m at my lowest and I seek to provide the same level of comfort when making music of my own. I engage with the arts in a very emotional way and find great joy in being able to connect sentimentally with various media so to have the film directly describe the concept of using music to reach people and to bring messages of joy and hope really, REALLY struck home.
I realise that in this newer, fancier wall of text I've hardly talked about the movie itself, so because it has been so long since I've seen it I'll borrow from my initial thoughts again for some rapid-fire...
- The relationships between the characters was captured really well with so many small details and moments bringing them to life, though I imagine for people unfamiliar with the Proseka world it would be a lot to follow
- My only big issue with the character storytelling was the leaning on Mafuyu's backstory in 25時's songwriting without going into details on screen; other units like Leo/need had theirs explained so similarly for a new audience it may have been confusing
- Art and animation - especially wide shots and landscape pieces - were stunning and the soundtrack was unsurprisingly gorgeous & very touching between the commissioned pieces and original score
- "Wonderland KAITO is baller as fuck"
I had a small collection of other tiny details of this document from last year but I'll save those for another time - this post is long enough as is. But par for the course this blog post is just a fraction of what I'd love to talk about on this topic, and hopefully you can see through my words on words that this movie & these characters mean a lot to me, and however sappy it may sound the message of hope they carry has stuck with me for an entire year since.
After I post this post I'll be finally watching the film for a third time - konbini snacks at the ready - and I look forward to enjoying it once more, perhaps with a new perspective as a now exchange student in Japan but even moreso as a Colorful Stage! fan looking back on an experience that moved me so much.
(and if you made it this far do be in touch, my favourite characters are An, Shiho & Saki and I haven't read much beyond the main story but that's okay too)