I will admit, I was pretty skeptical of this movie. Excited, of course, but at the same time, I am not really a big fan of sequel movies based on already-established series. They either feel like an elongated episode with prettier visuals or a rehash of the original series itself. The only real exception was the first Spongebob Squarepants movie, but most of the time, these films don't really do anything to justify their existence as feature-length movies.

For Yurucamp, I knew a film was coming wayyyy before I began watching the show; the film was actually an incentive for me to watch the show in the first place,

(And since then, the franchise about girls camping for the lolz and shit has become one of my all-time favourites. So that's fun.)

I was pretty skeptical about the Yurucamp movie. Having been disappointed with Girls und Panzer recently with their action-packed but ultimately rehashed and lifeless Das Finale series of "movies", and my previous thoughts, I was quite afraid the film will fall under these pitfalls. I mean, they were gonna be adults and that was a good start, but just because they're older doesn't mean it won't feel like a rehash of the original manga and anime series.

So there I was, sitting alone on my chair, staring at the monitor and watching a "legal" copy of the film (that totally wasn't pirated), and after the two hours were up...

...Well, I'll never forget how I reacted. I wasn't crying or anything, but man, the way I felt after that movie was something I haven't felt in a while.

I'll just put it bluntly:

Am I biased? Maybe. But I am also biased to shows like Girls und Panzer, Pokémon, and K-On, but their movies don’t really do it for me.

So, how is Yurucamp any different?

Somehow, the folks over at C-Station made not just a worthy entry in the Yurucamp saga, but something that actually feels like a separate thing that can be detached from its series and seen as a great standalone movie. In other words, they actually made the Yurucamp movie an actual movie.

It's a really simple story on the surface: "Girls now adults, reunite, build a campsite, done." And it's got everything that made Yurucamp a wonderful franchise.

A lovely cast dynamic? Yup.

Ultimate vibes? Yeah.

Good food? You fucking bet.

But, in my opinion, at least, the way they handle it turns the film into a heartwarmingly beautiful tale about adulthood and reconnecting with your past. Unlike other films like it, the film actually expands the world and characters in meaningful ways, while still putting the heart of the series in full-frontal force and maintaining what made the series so successful. There is fanservice, but somehow, the way they weave it into the story actually makes sense and doesn’t feel too forced.

~~~~

(Not to spoil, but Rin’s pinecone is a perfect example of using fanservice in a story without it feeling forced.)

I see the argument that the movie isn’t “Yuru” enough, and honestly, that’s kind of the point of this movie. The girls are adults now and have to deal with adult issues, which doesn’t always mean everything is… Yuru. I’ll even argue that the movie itself is a journey for the girls to rediscover their “Yuru”, and eventually find it in the end.

I need to go outside more...

Of course, the film isn't perfect. I mean, no film is perfect.

Did it need to be two hours? No.

Were some characters shafted? Yeah.

Was I disappointed the visuals weren't upgraded from the original show? Totally.

But even then, those are flaws I don't really mind when you got a movie that does way more good. This is an essential watch to all Yurucamp watchers not just to continue the saga, but to also experience a surprisingly mature and hopeful tale of rediscovery, life, and friendship. And the fact that this came out from a franchise about cute girls vibing in the wilderness is the cherry-on-top of the proverbial sundae.

To use a rather weird but sensible comparison, the Yurucamp movie is like the first Spongebob Squarepants film: both are beautifully realized adaptations that adds something new to the original source material while embracing what made it awesome in the first place.

Still not convinced? There’s a 2-minute sequence involving a crab mukbang and it’s easily one of the most cathartic scenes in all of cinema.

I love this movie.