Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: Tsuioku-hen

For starters, if you plan to watch this special, then you are quite acquainted with Mahouka and the various anime that have already come out in previous years. What this special did was shed a lot of light on the relationship between Tatsuya and Miyuki and how it evolved to its current state. A lot of background information was also provided, and some rather important characters made an appearance as well. To say more would be spoilers, so I'll refrain from going further. The art and sound were just great overall, and anyone who knows anything about Mahouka should have an idea of how things will typically progress when Tatsuya is involved, so no surprises there either. All in all, while somewhat predictable, it was still quite enjoyable to see the progression and finally get to the heart of the character that is Tatsuya. Would definitely recommend for any Mahouka fans!

This special is par for the course when it comes to the Mahouka franchise - bad However it fulfils an interesting role in that it is the missing link to understanding who Tatsuya is, how he came to be, and his relationship with Miyuki. I'll get more into that later (spoilers I guess), but now for my surface level problems. As usual the show has an over-narration problem. Miyuki narrates throughout the whole anime and it's used as a means of dropping meaningless exposition and lore dumps and telling us things that really should have been conveyed from the direction and animation instead. The entire Mahouka anime franchise is what I'd call a well animated visual novel with action scenes. Now from a construction standpoint I have two more gripes. First is the framing of the story. Having present day Miyuki and Tatsuya flying to the island and reminiscing about the past is a terrible way to frame an origin story because it provides a context that disconnects us from what is happening. It would have been better to begin in the past and immerse us in the story, and then timeskip at the end to present day to remind us of how these characters have grown and where they're going. The second gripe is the plot itself. It doesn't really exist. There is no act structure of any kind. Tatsuya is introduced. Various events happen that affect Miyuki in various ways, Tatsuya gets to flex, there's a big battle, and Miyuki's arc is brought up to the status quo that will kick start the rest of the series. It's a terrible, uninspired way to tell a story and as a result the special has no real momentum or driving energy to it. And no you can't call this a "slice of life" side story since there is already plenty of action and plot progression (albiet incredibly botched). It's just a very bad regular story As for the fact that this is supposedly an origin story, there are problems with this as a concept, and most of them are not necessarily adaptational issues but general issues with the story itself. First of all, if you have an origin story, what is the best way to deliver it? Typically speaking you would want to start from the beginning, establish who your characters were, and explain how your characters became who they are now. However the special begins after Tatsuya has already become an OP God. It only covers Tatsuya and Miyuki becoming acquainted and forming the incestuous sibling duo so many fans know and (supposedly) love. So why then do I call it an origin story if it's not really an origin story at all? That's because it drops all of Tatsuya's origins in an information dump in the last 10 minutes. This was a terrible idea for several reasons. First of all, we didn't get to see Tatsuya before he underwent surgery and became an emotionless OP god, so we don't really understand what Tatsuya lost in order to become who he is. We've only ever known the god Tatsuya and not the person who he was before, so we aren't given any reason to care about his origin apart from the fact that it sounds cool. The implication of this is that it makes it less meaningful when Miyuki learns of his origins because we can only empathise with his suffering on a surface level. Another issue here is with the way his mother views Tatsuya. Because he can't do "proper magic" Tatsuya is considered lesser and therefore not worthy to be anything other than a bodyguard for Miyuki. However as we see in this special, and even more so in the rest of the show, he is practically speaking a better asset to the Yotsuba clan than Miyuki has been, and far, far more useful than pretty much every other character we've met thus far in the anime. So while I can understand why on a political standpoint he doesn't have the qualifications to be the next leader, I fail to understand what meaningful reason his own mother would have to look down on him as a failure. While the reasoning may legitimately exist in the source material it's very poorly communicated considering this is the foundation for the entire story going forwards. overall, this is a poorly directed, poorly written, poorly characterised, but well animated mahouka special. Ie: a generic Mahouka special

WATCH THIS SPECIAL BEFORE THE MOVIE AND SECOND SEASON! Story: 7.5 This light novel Volume (8) was one of my favorite in the series story-wise. This anime was not. This arc in the anime was good, but the first season was better. A big part of this was the shift from Madhouse to 8Bit which brought a new director, the same one who jumbled up the visitor arc. Without going into spoiler territory, the light novel was much more interesting because the storytelling was not linear. It jumped between right where the Visitor arc left off and a few years prior on the island, as well as Maya’s childhood. It gave a whole backstory for the Yotsuba clan and why guardians exist which better explains the nature of Tatsuya and Miyuki’s relationship, As well as Maya and Miya, the chapter where Maya’s childhood and the Yotsuba’s history is expanded upon is called “Untouchable — The Nightmare of 2062.” It also had this very tense moment between Tatsuyas and Maya which was very exciting. The director did do a good job this time making the story flow well but I just can’t see anything good coming with the continuation of these content cuts. I actually enjoyed the anime original content at the end of the visitor arc but I would have much preferred the cut content. Why can’t we have both? I feel like we’re straying too far off course from the light novel. The next season was announced but I am assuming it is still with 8bit so I hope they somehow include “The Nightmare of 2062” in the next season and correct some of the changes in the visitor arc to get back on track. Art: 9.5 It is important to distinguish art from animation. The animation was pretty good, with no major flaws or anything, but nothing special. I didn’t notice any obvious bad CG or anything. What is special is the art. The character designs are some of the most beautiful I’ve seen and the style is elegantly refined. After watching “Mahouka koukou no Yuutousei” it is especially nice to see Miyuki return to her former glory, the art style in that anime was attempting to follow the manga but it looked terrible. In this special, all the main characters looked fantastic. Pretty much any random screenshot of Miyuki, especially when she is in the foreground, is screenshot-worthy. It was also a treat to see more of Ayako dressed up. This also might be one of if not the first times we are seeing Miya’s character design and it looks phenomenal. Sound: 9 The music is obviously composed by Iwasaki Taku and it is amazing as ever. His techy music has always been perfect for Mahouka. Magic battles would not be the same without him. The only real complaint is that most of the special has very little large-scale magic until the last quarter. His high-tech music doesn’t quite fit with the hand-to-hand combat quite as well. I noticed this most in the fight where Tatsuya is defending Miyuki near the water. Also, the voice acting is a bit strange. I think someone needs to remind Nakamura that Tatsuya is barely a middle schooler. He sounds at least 40. Hayami is doing a bit better sounding young but it is all a bit forced. Maybe it’s good that the music sometimes drowns out the speaking because the music is the best part. Character: 8 Everyone I talk to who has only watched the anime seems to think of Tatsuya as a bland MC/Self-insert which is not really true but understandable to a certain degree. I am hoping as the story goes along viewers will start to understand how likable and commendable he is. This special won’t change everyone’s mind right away but it is certainly a step in the right direction. Miyuki has always fawned over Tatsuya in the anime so it is honestly refreshing to see her before she realized the power of godsuya. The only critique I have is that she changed her mind way too fast. Like for her whole life, she didn’t like him but after like 30 minutes she starts to have a crush on him and won’t leave his side? I wish her character developed a bit more slowly. Enjoyment: 8 I found it really fun and a bit sad in the end. The fights are good and honestly seeing Ayako just once doubled my enjoyment. She is just such a fun character. I really wish they wouldn’t have cut “The Nightmare of 2062,” that and Tatsuya’s tea time with Maya were both cut which definitely drops my enjoyment. OVERALL: 8.5 The thing that really made me enjoy this anime was at 17:23 when Mitsugu glared at Tatsuya. Around light novel volume 16 you will learn why Mitsugu is scared of/holds animosity towards Tatsuya. This little detail of his eyes shows how much attention to detail was put into this. Foreshadowing like this makes the anime so much more enjoyable for those who read ahead and gives me hope that they are planning to adapt all the novels. Overall I think this special should have been released way before the movie and visitor arc but I’m glad it’s here now.

The special is great, but there are some parts in the manga that would have been epic if they added it on the anime but overall it is great, it really shows the backstory of Tatsuya and I would have love it even more if they show more demon light action (kinda epic when the enemy gets disintegrated into dust.) They announced another sequel and I cant wait for it. I have already read both the manga and the light novel and it never cease to amaze me. I really do hope that they continue this series, it is a masterpiece that not many people know about outside japan. I would love to rewatch the whole series again. The animators, the staff, and everyone working behind the scene did an amazing job for this series. 100/10 it cured my depression.

This prologue episode is a slightly more personal story, showing an incident that built the deep bond Tatsuya and Miyuki share with each other. It, however, still suffers from all the pacing and plot issues from the main series – escalating in an insane manner and not doing anything to de-stupify the core premise of the show... Maybe even worse, as the explanation it gives for Tatsuya's treatment is beyond stupid and makes the whole magical aristocracy of Japan look like even bigger morons than before. The one thing this special does better than main seasons of the show is exposition – there are fewer clunky info dumps and while the whole arc is arguably rushed, it at least doesn't include pointless downtime. In the end, it's just more content for fans of the main story – nothing less and nothing more.

Overall Recommendation (Spoiler Free): If you are interested in watching this series, begin with this piece before the main show. It requires no prior knowledge and will set you up with context that should greatly increase your comfortability with a core element of the series. Review (Spoilers Ahead): The Irregular at Magic High School: Reminiscence Arc demonstrates how creative choices can result in the poor execution of a good premise. The purpose of the prequel special is to develop the audience’s understanding of how the unique dynamic between Tatsuya and Miyuki came into being, but it fails to do so in a number of ways. Firstly and most crucially the personalities of the siblings appear throughout the runtime to be exactly the same as they are years later in the main story. Tatsuya is completely unchanged from his later incarnation by the producers, which tells the viewer that he is already formed as the man he will become before the events of this prequel, thus taking a dimension of character development from the piece. Miyuki likewise exhibits from the start an overwhelming similarity to the Miyuki we know of in the main story, though her personality does show slight differences. The relationship between the siblings is almost the inverse of what we know. Tatsuya and Miyuki have a rigid dynamic which informs the viewer of Tatsuya’s low status as a servant of the family but it is made apparent to the viewer that all characters are aware that they are siblings. Explanation of this status difference only begins at 58:00 - the piece having a runtime of 71 minutes - when Miyuki’s mother tells her that Tatsuya could not be accepted as a member of the Yotsuba Clan because one must be a magician and his ability to wield magic is so little that it may as well not exist. She delivers her lines in the typical refined, calm matriarchal manner which has been established, but the issue lies in that this scene immediately follows one in which Tatsuya raises Miyuki, Miya and their maid from death without any trouble. Shiba Miya dismisses the abilities of her son on the grounds of their uselessness with a dismissive “well I suppose it did just save our life”, as though possessing the ability to reverse any damage and revive the dead does not contradict the reasoning given for why Tatsuya is not a member of the clan. Despite its unconventional expression, Tatsuya obviously has an absurdly powerful gift which - humans being what they are - the Yotsubas would exploit, not dismiss due to a technicality. This is one example of how the characters behave in unrealistic ways which undermine the story being told. Furthermore, Miya describes how she had Tatsuya surgically altered to artificially improve his ability to wield magic, at the cost of all his emotional architecture. Miya decided that if he could be left with one trace of an emotional impulse, it should be love for his sister rather than love for his mother, but in the same conversation proclaims that she has no motherly love for him and otherwise evidences disdain for and shame over him as a perceived failure. This dialogue of Miya and Miyuki does not adequately provision the viewer with a validation of Miya’s cold treatment of her miraculous son, whose abilities even a young Miyuki identifies as literally “kiseki [a miracle]”. The behaviour of all the characters is stilted and unnatural, not matching up with expectations. This goes beyond being excusable as excessively formal Japanese inter-class division. For example, at 54:12 the unnamed soldier escorting Tatsuya tells him “We’ll be waiting outside” and leaves him to speak privately with a distressed Miyuki. The producers had the soldier say so in a neutral manner, when in fact he should have clicked his tongue or shown some other cue of annoyance and delivered his line dismissively. This is because these cues would imply to the viewer the soldier’s frustration with the boy’s antics in the middle of an emergency, which is a far more realistic behaviour in a disciplined soldier whom the audience knows is aware of Tatsuya’s precociousness. The valediction of the maid Honami is touching and clearly impacts Tatsuya. This is a strange choice by the producers as Tatsuya never exhibits being troubled by the things she said later in his life in the main story. Miyuki’s conclusive monologue exposits that she died figuratively as a result of the climactic events of the piece and this monologue does succinctly express how she has been traumatised, answering a number of important questions. But this monologue also comes in the credits... My overarching point is that the premise of a piece demonstrating how Miyuki and Tatsuya’s uncomfortably close relationship came to be is achieved, but the creative choices made throughout the whole runtime result in a prequel that falls far short of what it could have been.

tl;dr: A flashback that’s doesn’t add much new plot or world building wise, but helps flesh out the main pair considerably. This special is a flashback to four years prior to where the second season ends, primarily chronicling the Okinawa Defense Naval Battle and the surrounding circumstances. This was an incredibly important event for Mahouka’s story, the impacts of which have been felt throughout the series. It’s been mentioned explicitly throughout the series a number of times, as it was the beginning of the war between the GAU and Japan which played heavily into the events of the first season. Tetsuya played a critical part in the conflict, resulting in him being feared as ‘Mahesvara’ by the GAU. His Regrowth and Decomposition abilities spawned rumors under the names of ‘Demon Right’ and ‘Divine Left’ respectively, terms that have popped up a number of times throughout the series. This special explicitly shows and thus makes very clear a lot of the things that have been referred to throughout the series. However, ultimately it doesn’t really add much new in terms of the world building or in terms of explanations of abilities. What it does contribute heavily to is Tetsuya and Miyuki’s characterization. It explains a lot of why someone like him is in the position he is in terms of his place in the Yotsuba clan as well as his connections to the military. It also explains why he has such a coldly logical personality and why he’s so obsessed with Miyuki. On the flipside it explains part of how Miyuki fits into the Yotsuba clan and how that’s resulted in her trying to be ‘perfect’. She also has an entire character arc where she becomes humbler and learns to accept her own feelings. And of course the special also explains why she reveres Tetsuya so much. There’s a bunch of other stuff to that it touches upon, such as broader background on the Yotsuba clan or specific members of it, but this special doesn’t go into as much depth as in the novel. Still, it seems that the anime adaptation isn’t skipping this content entirely, but rather seems to want to try to cover it differently as shown by the filler arc in the second season which already touched upon much of it. And the pacing of the special definitely benefited from the heavier focus on Tetsuya and Miyuki, so overall I feel this worked pretty well. The art and animation are solid enough. Though it has the length of a film, it isn’t a theatrical release, so it should be no surprise this has the same production values as the TV anime. The designs are as good as usual but there was nothing new particularly worth mentioning. The soundtrack was decent but didn’t really stand out at all, which is surprising considering the soundtrack in all the other Mahouka anime have stood out quite a bit. The ED song was over footage of the epilogue and was solid enough, though considering that characters were talking over all of it, it didn’t feel like an ED and more like an insert song.

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: Tsuioku-hen (2021) As far as films covering a backstory goes this was greatly done. I appreciate most of what happens here is spoken about in various episodes of the existing anime beforehand but at least here it is all put together and also has a visual viewing rather than a story on its own. The art is the same as the show always is, I love this. It doesn't change apart from being more polished which again I love. Some shows change art between seasons from different companies and it kind of ruins the feeling unless it's epic. Take Attack on Titan, the art style changes so much that you can always tell when a new studio took over. The sound is great and fills the room. Voices are the same as always and welcome. Characters, we know them, love them, hate them, whatever. If you are watching this just to learn who the characters are then this is not for you. Watch the rest and come back. I would say it could be higher than an 8 but it just isn't. Since I paid attention and read the manga related this is just a re-telling of a story we have been told throughout various episodes done visually. This is fine, but being that it's not totally new then it's an 8.

The fact that they didn't start this series with an actual origin story, turning episode 1 into a prequel movie, should tell you what kind of shit-show you're dealing with here. At-least this movie is slightly better than the actual series, probably because Tatsuya isn't surrounded by a harem constantly jacking him off, worshiping his every move. The annoying as shit sister, with the personality of a loli-incest fuck-doll made in Japan, is less annoying, at-least until she begins her incestuous brother worship by the end of the movie. Art is the same as the show, nothing mind blowing happening here. Art was never the issue with this series. The comedic background music track that plays over everything that the director thinks is "cool" in the series, is missing from the movie, which is a welcome surprise. Plot, however, remains a shitshow. The fact that even in the backstory, the origin story, Tatsuya is still an OP demigod, doesn't help. In good Isekai shows, the protagonist starts weak and gets stronger. But this fucking show refuses to make the protagonist weak, even in the origin story. The hack writer who came up with this dribble as an excuse to simp on a fictional loli, probably finds it hard to get off without the power fantasy being ON 24/7. I guess since this is the origin story, it didn't give the writer enough time to offload his pointlessly detailed explanations on run-of-the-mill magic spells that every other fucking fantasy hero just.. casts, without going into hour long explanations. So that's another piece of good news. If you were expecting something exciting in Tatsuya's past though, don't. A generic harem Isekai with a generic story being given top rating on this site by thirsty fanbase. That's all this show is. 5/10 Watch this before season one btw. There isn't anything that acts as a spoiler for season one.

I'm just going to say that I understand less and less the story of this anime, it is a prequel to the original anime but. I don't even remember the main plot. The animation is fine, we can see the powers of the older brother doing his thing. After the development of the plot seemed good to me, also that of the characters now as it is justified because the characters are well 10 years late but good. The soundtrack delivers and little else to add. I recommend it if you like the protagonist op because here we see what it is to be a beast and kill and kill without fear. I recommend watching the original anime and then watching this. En español: Solo voy ad ecir que cada vez entiendo menos la historia de este anime, es una precuela del anime original pero. Ni me acuerdo la trama principal. La animacion esta bien cumple podemos ver los poderes del hermano mayor haciendo lo suyo. Despues el desarrollo de la trama me parecio bien, tambien el de los personajes ahora como se justifica porque son asi los personajes bien 10 años tarde pero bien. La banda sonora cumple y poco mas que agregar. Lo recomeindo si te gustan los protagonista op porque aca vemos lo que ser una bestia y matar y matar sin miedo. Recomiendo ver el anime original y despues ver esto.

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: Tsuioku-hen is one of those films that, technically, does almost everything right. It expands the main story, answers important questions left by the series and presents excellent quality production. Still, as competent as it is, it ended up not working as well for me as I had hoped. The reason is not in the direction, animation or narrative itself, but rather in what should be the franchise's biggest attraction: its protagonist. As the title suggests, Tsuioku-hen works like a big flashback, showing events before the beginning of the anime. Therefore, it can be watched even before the main series without causing problems in understanding. Quite the contrary, in some aspects it even improves the experience, as it offers context for various behaviors and events that previously seemed strange or undeveloped. The main function of the film is to explain the origin of the relationship between Tatsuya and Miyuki, something that always attracted attention during the series because it seemed exaggeratedly intense. Here we finally understand the events that shaped this bond and why they both act the way we know them. In this sense, I think the script fulfills its role very well. It's not a story full of unexpected twists, but it manages to fill important gaps in the narrative and give more meaning to several moments in the anime. Visually, the film is also impressive. The animation has excellent fluidity, especially in the combat scenes, which are very well choreographed and take great advantage of the franchise's complex magic system. It may not reach the level of productions like Demon Slayer, which currently serve as a reference when it comes to technical quality, but it still delivers above average work. Another detail that I really liked was the art direction. Unlike the main series, which often uses a brighter color palette, Tsuioku-hen relies on grayish tones for much of the film. This choice conveys a heavier atmosphere and perfectly matches the military and traumatic context of the story. At the same time, when calmer or more exciting moments arise, the colors become more vivid, creating an interesting contrast that helps a lot with the ambience. The soundtrack follows exactly the standard of the franchise. It doesn't have any songs that stick out in my memory, but it knows how to follow each scene very well. In dramatic moments she manages to convey emotion without exaggerating, while in action scenes she increases the tension efficiently. It's a solid work, although not very memorable individually. So why a relatively low rating for such a competent film? The answer lies in Tatsuya Shiba. My biggest problem with Mahouka has always been its protagonist, and this film only reinforced everything that already bothered me about the series. I have absolutely nothing against extremely strong, intelligent or excessively competent protagonists. Quite the contrary, I really like this archetype when it is well executed. Cold and calculating characters can be extremely interesting, as long as they have some type of internal conflict, striking personality or dynamic that makes them engaging. In Tatsuya's case, however, I feel that precisely this factor is missing. Even though he is just a child during the events of the film, he already demonstrates practically unshakable maturity. His serious posture, his absolute rationality, and his almost complete lack of expressions make him seem more like a machine than a person. In an adult character this might work better, but in a child it ends up causing a certain strangeness. It's hard to see humanity in him. Furthermore, his constant apathy causes most of the scenes to lose emotional impact. While other characters demonstrate fear, sadness, anger or despair, Tatsuya remains largely unchanged. As a result, it is difficult to create a connection with him, especially considering that the film revolves almost entirely around him. Another aspect that bothers me is how the universe seems to depend exclusively on him. Practically all major conflicts end up being resolved by Tatsuya, giving the feeling that the rest of the cast exists only to reinforce how exceptional he is. This greatly reduces the importance of the other characters and makes the world feel less alive. When I compare Tatsuya with protagonists with a similar profile, this difference becomes even more evident. Neji Hyuga, for example, is also a prodigy marked by a difficult childhood. However, his arrogance, his frustrations and his personal conflicts make him a much more human and interesting character. There is a strong personality there. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, from Classroom of the Elite, is perhaps the closest comparison. Both are cold, extremely intelligent and emotionally distant. The difference is that the world of Classroom of the Elite keeps functioning without the protagonist. Other characters drive the story forward, have their own goals, and often solve problems on their own. Furthermore, Ayanokoji remains shrouded in mystery for a large part of the series, whereas Tatsuya quickly becomes nothing more than "the character who can solve absolutely everything." Perhaps years ago, this wouldn't have bothered me as much. However, after consuming countless works featuring protagonists of this same archetype, it has become much easier to spot when such a character stops being mysterious and simply becomes emotionally hollow. Ultimately, *Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: Tsuioku-hen* is a good film. It is technically competent, visually beautiful, narratively important to the franchise, and complements the main story very well. However, since so much of the experience hinges on the viewer's connection to Tatsuya, my lack of interest in the protagonist ended up directly affecting my opinion of the work. I acknowledge its qualities and fully understand why so many fans enjoy this film, but for me, it turned out to be a beautiful experience to watch yet one that failed to truly engage me. Raiting: 5/10. =================================================================================================================Versão em Português===================================== Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: Tsuioku-hen é um daqueles filmes que, tecnicamente, faz quase tudo certo. Ele expande a história principal, responde perguntas importantes deixadas pela série e apresenta uma produção de ótima qualidade. Ainda assim, por mais competente que seja, acabou não funcionando tão bem comigo quanto eu esperava. O motivo não está na direção, na animação ou na narrativa em si, mas sim naquele que deveria ser o maior atrativo da franquia: seu protagonista. Como o próprio título sugere, Tsuioku-hen funciona como um grande flashback, mostrando acontecimentos anteriores ao início do anime. Por isso, ele pode ser assistido até mesmo antes da série principal sem causar problemas de entendimento. Muito pelo contrário, em alguns aspectos ele até melhora a experiência, já que oferece contexto para diversos comportamentos e acontecimentos que antes pareciam estranhos ou pouco desenvolvidos. A principal função do filme é explicar a origem da relação entre Tatsuya e Miyuki, algo que sempre chamou atenção durante a série por parecer exageradamente intensa. Aqui finalmente entendemos os eventos que moldaram esse vínculo e o motivo pelo qual ambos agem da forma que conhecemos. Nesse sentido, considero que o roteiro cumpre muito bem seu papel. Não é uma história cheia de reviravoltas inesperadas, mas consegue preencher lacunas importantes da narrativa e dar mais sentido a diversos momentos do anime. Visualmente, o filme também impressiona. A animação possui ótima fluidez, principalmente nas cenas de combate, que são muito bem coreografadas e aproveitam bastante o complexo sistema de magia da franquia. Talvez não alcance o nível de produções como Demon Slayer, que atualmente servem de referência quando o assunto é qualidade técnica, mas ainda a…

The reminiscence arc of irregular at magic high school is a pretty big flashback in the form of a movie. It explains the history of Tatsuya and Miyuki and their relationship. This doesn't seem to be a necessary part of the story but it adds some nice background information. You can watch this after the first season or after the second season, it doesn't really matter that much. You shouldn't watch it before the first season though because it's a flashback, not a sequel, so it expects knowledge of the characters. Overall the story isn't too good. It's cool at times but some parts are kind of boring. However it does provide background information and character development so it might make watching other parts of the anime more interesting. The two most important characters in this movie are Miyuki and Tatsuya and all other characters are of lesser significance. The art and sound were both alright. Overall it can be a nice movie to watch if you want a bit more background information but it might be slightly disappointing if you're watching this for the story. Don't watch it if you haven't watched any part of the series yet.

Let me say first that I've never read the light novels, so I am writing from the perspective from someone who has only watched the anime series. While this movie will most likely be enjoyed by any Mahouka fan, was this movie good? Not really, it was fine. The story was alright, art seemed slightly off in some scenes, and character development was laughable at times. The story begins with Miyuki reminiscing about the past, and this is where the problem with the story begins as well. It felt unnecessary for it to begin with anyone thinking of the past, or rather it wasn’t ended in a satisfying way. The beginning and end of the movie did not feel all that connected to the past events the movie is mostly about. Yes, they are of the same characters, in the same world, but the ending in particular feels lackluster as it does not conclude the story before well. It felt like the character basically saw something that made her think of the past, then after reflecting on such events just shrugged and carried on. Reminiscing of the past is fine as a story element if it actually serves a purpose for the current state or nature of the character within the same continuation – as in if the reminiscing was within an episode in a series, it is perfectly fine for that to conclude into the character’s current behavior or development in another episode, but for this movie, even if it is not a standalone movie, there should be still be something taken from this past you reflect on you currently try to live out within the same movie. For example, Miyuki could be shown in the end living out a lesson she learnt in the past. If not, the reminiscing serves little to no purpose and it would have been better if the movie started and ended with only the past events. Another problem is Miyuki’s narration. Having a character state too much of their inner thoughts and through that reveal their personalities is just lazy. While there were indeed times when the narration made the scene funnier, there was simply too much. The animation of the movie felt slightly off during the fight sequences at the beginning (fight sequences at later parts of the movie was fine and looked good). It did not flow well, stances did not look natural and the poses some characters held during a few scenes even looked wonky. Character development felt abysmal at times. This movie was used to display how Miyuki got to the point of being all ‘Onii-sama’ in Rettousei, but the transition to get to that point felt rushed and forced. The final change in feelings did not feel natural. The gradual build-up at the start of the movie was fine and made sense, nor was it unreasonable and rushed. However, right after the climax (which did not really build up tension at all and feel like a climax), she had a sudden and complete change of heart that did not feel like what the events before would result in. They would certainly steer her in the way of her eventual feelings for Tatsuya, but not that completely immediately after. This movie actually suffers from poor character development for side characters, or rather, the lack of character development for the side characters. There wasn’t much of a closer look or a deep dive for the side characters, and while these side characters are important to the development of the main characters, they suffered from the lack of character. Some characters only got to express part of their inner feelings in a rushed, short speech at the end, of which the contents would be closely related to the main characters. Others get a single line that referenced what would be a complex character trait but well, only received one line describing such. This movie would have been a great opportunity to dive into these particular side characters as they are not closely followed in Rettousei. In the end, from a non-LN audience perspective, although I am unaware of what could have been of this movie if it followed the light novel, there were elements in the movie of which I was unsatisfied with.