Honestly, I don’t know how much point there is to me talking about this movie. Chuunibyou is my comfort food, the franchise I come back to when I just want to be in a good mood. The first season is one of my all-time favorites, and the second, while definitely flawed, was still an invaluable experience for me. I literally can’t be objective about it. So when I say I adored the series-closing movie, Take on Me, with every fiber of my being, feel free to take that with as many grains of salt as you wish. But for what’s it’s worth, yes. I adored Take on Me with every fiber of my being.

Take on Me's purpose is to bring closure to Yuuta and Rikka’s romance, confirming that they are the right people for each other, even through all the nonsense they put each other through. Thing is, we already know that, because that was the central arc of Ren: Yuuta and Rikka coming to the conclusion that their romance was their own, and it could evolve on their own terms. Thankfully, the movie seems aware of this: the brief rehash of that old conflict isn't really meant to be a climax as much as it is a summation. It’s Yuuta and Rikka going over the entirety of their history, from the first time we saw them all the way back in episode 1, and confirming what they already new to be true: their love is real, and it always will be, no matter how it may change or evolve in the future. As such, the film itself follows that same ethos. It doesn’t aim for intense catharsis, because it doesn’t need to. It’s an excuse to hang out with our favorite people one last time, a celebration of the legacy it’s created and an affirmation of why that legacy is worth celebrating. And on that level, Take on Me is a rousing success.

Storywise, it’s a very loosely plotted road trip movie, an excuse to get Rikka and Yuuta jetting across Japan and visiting famous locales. I don’t know much about Japan’s cultural history, so all the sightseeing pretty much went over my head. But that’s okay, because it’s still Rikka and Yuuta going around seeing these sights. It’s still one of my favorite anime ships of all time, hanging out and doing what they do best over the length of an entire movie. And sweet buttery Jesus, are they adorable. Seriously, this movie is basically just one big, long, dopey smile. I love their chemistry so freaking much; I love how they tease each other and get on each other’s nerves, I love how they both keep each other in check in their own ways, I love how bashful they both get about romantic stuff, and I love how much they genuinely care about each other. And we’re basically watching nothing but that for ninety-odd minutes. Honestly, you could make the case that it’s overkill; my cheeks were sore as fuck from smiling by the time it was over. But who fucking cares? I don’t. Strained cheeks are a small price to pay for the sensation of being consumed by sheer, unadulterated joy.

Chuunibyou as a franchise just makes me so goddamn happy. I love watching it, I love thinking about it, I love writing about it, and I will always hold it close to my heart. And “Take on Me” is about as pitch-perfect a send-off to the series as I could imagine. Am I sad there won’t be more? Yes. But it’s already given me enough happiness to last a lifetime, and for that, I will be eternally grateful.