This review contains full spoilers I consistently refer to and summarize various frames instances and plot points throughout the film in order to discuss them in this review. If you have not seen this movie and you wish to please turn away now and go watch it If you liked the seasonals Vacation is right up your alley. If youd like to please check out my review for the entire series herehttps://anilist.co/review/19010 Its spoiler free so even if you havent seen Nonstop yet you wont be in for any surprises. 1080https://i.ur.com/Mr7ZM3C.jpg A lot of people like this movie a little bit less compared to the main seasonals. At a glance its not hard to see why the gang take a break from their quaint adventures in Asahigaoka on go on an actual journey involving planes and trains to Okinawa. Anyone that fell in love with the sense of place that the first two seasons were able to evoke might have felt that this movie was a bit out of the series element. However I think that this film is as good as the rest of the episodes before it albeit in a different way. Gone is the intimate familiarity of the characters hometown but with new horizons we continue to see Non Non Biyoris central ethos of living in the moment this time through a vacation. Its a different angle on the same themes and I think its one thats executed well and one that compliments the main series extremely well. 1080https://i.ur.com/evjbIL9.jpg The movie starts with our main four hopping into Kazunees ride and taking a trip to the department store. What I really liked about this is that it serves as an onramp to the idea that this movie will center around a vastly different setting and location. Keep in mind our main characters and by extension us the viewers have never substantially ventured far from Asahigaoka before. Aside from the one beach episode that was a couple of train line transfers away the vast majority of screentime thus far has taken place within the quaint comforts of Non Non Biyoris hometown. I liked that the writers were careful to use the term field trip to sort of signal the idea that this movie moves outside of the bubble weve spent the last 24 episodes being familiar with. Of course this department store trip also serves as the main premise for Natsumis brother winning the Okinawa tickets but thats not the reason why I liked this part of the movie. Its a relatively minor detail overall but I appreciated this small little tidbit of foreshadowing that was offered. Its the tiny technical things like this that I personally think elevate the movie over the already excellent seasonals before it. 1080https://i.ur.com/IW4O6u3.jpg Now we get into the meat and bones of this movie the trip to Okinawa itself. For the most part the middle of this film which is the majority of it is the Non Non Biyori we all know and love. Endearing hilarious and carefree characters living their lives to the fullest through the company they share with each other. And although its a given that I still really liked this part of the movie its why were watching this series after all it doesnt stray that much from the NNB formula of previous episodes and seasons. As such I wont be going into a lot of detail about this portion simply because theres not much to talk about. 1080https://i.ur.com/DBXtPiC.png Now enter Aoi. I love the presence of Aoi in this movie because she helps facilitate the biggest character development weve seen in Non Non Biyori thus far her friendship with Natsumi. Natsumi is normally a very free spirit and isnt one to get overly emotional or sentimental. Shes the most rambunctious of the cast and tends to be very fickle. However she finds comfort within Aoi in the fact that theyre the same age a rarity in the Asahigaoka social circle. While Natsumi has her sister and brother as family and close confidants the prospect of having a friend the same age as her is something she didnt realize she yearned for. Considering Japans very rigid social context it makes complete sense why she would want to befriend Aoi. To Natsumi Aoi is someone that isnt older than her younger than her or related to her Aoi is just someone she sees as her equal and the potential to become a friend in the truest sense of the word. 1080https://i.ur.com/EkTeXH5.jpg Through Aoi we get to see Natsumi become a lot more earnest and grounded as a character a large departure from her usual demeanour. Shes more gentle more sensitive and more kind. Thats not to say that she didnt have these characteristics in her beforehand but seeing this change in her through another person that she can relate to is very nice to watch. We also get to see some development from Aois side as well. Shes a very honest and hard worker that likely doesnt get a lot of guests her age at the inn that her family runs. When we see her enjoying the company of our main cast and genuinely befriending them you cant help but smile. Its like the vibes in this friend group are immaculate and infectious. 1080https://i.ur.com/rzYkJPc.jpg Welcome to this movies budgetdump scene. Well the entire movie is beautifully animated and features a lot of gorgeous aspecttoaspect transitions but this scene with the stars and the glowing algae stands out. Here our main four plus Aoi are truly alone with no one but themselves the starry sky and the ethereally lit water. Theyve been stargazing before but never with someone outside of their group and never by the water. Its the culmination of a journey that features all the familiarity theyre used to yet with just enough novelty that makes this experience one theyll carry for the rest of their lives. 1080https://i.ur.com/DYGtVNe.jpg Here we see Natsumi and Aoi exchange a heartfelt thank you with each other. Theyre each halves to a whole that they never thought they needed taking solace the fact that they were able to find each other. Despite their respective worlds where they never expected to encounter someone they relate to so closely they met. This conversation is the emotional high of the movie. Unfortunately after all the happiness and satisfaction all journeys must come to an end. 1080https://i.ur.com/V5J7qYZ.jpg Once again we see a side of Natsumi that weve never seen before. Having spent time in a newfound place and making her first profound connection outside of her hometown Natsumi is at her most vulnerable when faced with the inevitable prospect of parting ways with Okinawa and especially Aoi. Its this cathartic depth to the Non Non Biyori movie that makes this movie so strong and compelling to me. Through this scene we come to realize the meaning that an adventure adds to our lives yet the bittersweetness that comes with our eventual return. Natsumi experiences this firsthand and having become intimately familiar with Asahigaoka for 24 episodes prior to this movie so do we. 1080https://i.ur.com/iSQKhIj.jpg But of course its not all sad. Journeys are transient yet they stay with us for the rest of our lives. Our main cast returns home reflecting on the immensely enjoyable time they had in Okinawa despite only being there for four days. Natsumi was able to enjoy a type of friendship shes never had before and carves a place for Aoi in her heart promising to stay in touch with her and cherish her. 1080https://i.ur.com/gTZmW1P.jpg Scroll back to the very first image of this review then come back to this one. Do you see it? That picture was one of the very first establishing shots of the movie Renge heading out of her house to go hang out with the other three. At the end of the movie were then called back to the same frame the times of day reflecting both the start and the end of a journey. Finding comfort in both the experience and its conclusion feeling fulfilled and satisfied with the time you spent breaking away your ordinary life even if only for a little bit. 1080https://i.ur.com/p9TrbwK.jpg At the end of the day am I writing a whole bunch of words and going into a lot of detail for whats just an ordinary fluffy sliceoflife? ...Yeah I am but thats because I think that the real strength of this movie is that it ventures beyond this. We get to see meaningful character development in the cast but especially Natsumi. We get the Non Non Biyori charm in a place completely different than the town were used to seeing. We experience the emotional highs and the bittersweet feelings that come with embarking on uncharted territory and we gain a greater appreciation for the novelties life has to offer as a result. This movie is Non Non Biyori in all of its glory but with a little extra that might move your heart more than the original series did. Thats the essence of this trip. 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