Goodbye, Don Glees! (2022) Review

The sense of joyful adventure that comes with childhood is truly unique. If adulthood begins at 18, we spend far more of our lives as adults than as children, making childhood a brief but precious time. Goodbye, Don Glees! explores the idea of living life to the fullest and contemplates the true treasure of childhood. Beautifully told and presented with stunning animation, Goodbye, Don Glees! is an incredible film, and Atsuko Ishizuka rightly deserved to be the first female director to win the Golden Partridge at Scotland Loves Anime.

The “Don Glees” are a group of two friends, Roma and Toto. Roma still lives in their countryside town, while Toto now attends school in Tokyo. With Toto back home for school break, he and Roma plan to continue their tradition of a private fireworks display, this time with new Don Glees member Dot. Since they were never invited to nearby town festivals, their private display has always been their way to celebrate. But the fireworks fail, and the drone they brought to film the event is blown away by the wind. Ironically, that lost drone may be their salvation when classmates blame them for a recent forest fire. Armed with supplies for a day, they set off on a quest to retrieve the drone.

What makes the film so remarkable is the realistic and heartfelt bond that forms between Roma, Toto, and Dot. You genuinely believe they’re fun-loving, kind 15- or 16-year-old boys who, while not part of the “cool kids,” have a great time together and live life to the fullest. Although their faith in that bond is tested by the film’s climactic ending, they come to realize that Don Glees brought them joy, even when those around them made them feel small.

Atsuko Ishizuka does an incredible job depicting the playful spirit of childhood on screen and in her writing. Every action and line of dialogue feels genuine and full of youthful energy. Many scenes radiate such youthful innocence that it’s hard not to get swept up in the adventure and laugh along. One scene involving a bear is a standout, capturing a truly authentic moment of wild adventure.

The animation by Madhouse is gorgeous. Every scene flows with stunning fluidity, and the momentum in key moments is captivating. However, it’s the quieter scenes that are the most breathtaking, especially the golden waterfall. We see this image multiple times throughout the film, and each time, the vast, screen-filling waterfall is nothing short of mesmerizing.

In these golden waterfall scenes, as the visuals reach their peak, so does the soundtrack. Yoshiki Fujisawa’s score is nothing short of magical, elevating the emotions of every scene to ecstatic heights.

Everything comes together to create a film filled with joy and wonder, even in moments tinged with sadness. The story encourages us to look forward to the future, embracing life and living fully.

Goodbye, Don Glees! has become one of my favorite anime films of all time. This is my fourth viewing, and I can’t wait for many more to come. It’s truly a special and incredible film.