Close Menu
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Momo and Okarun share a close moment in Dandadan

    Momo And Okarun: The Gold Standard For Shonen Romance

    07/03/2025
    Ironheart Episodes 4 6 But Why Tho 1

    ‘Ironheart’ Explained: Explore MCU’s Bold New Chapter

    07/01/2025
    Buck in 9-1-1

    ‘9-1-1’ Has To Let Buck Say Bisexual

    06/29/2025
    Nintendo Welcome Tour promotional image of the maraca mini-game

    The One “Game” That Justifies The Nintendo Switch 2 Purchase

    06/25/2025
    Destiel Confession in Supernatural - Castiel (Misha Collins) and Dean (Jensen Ackles)

    The Destiel Confession: The Lasting Importance Of Supernatural’s Greatest Ship

    06/22/2025
  • Squid Game
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2 Games
  • Summer Game Fest
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘Her Blue Sky’ Explores The Complexities Of Regret And Love

REVIEW: ‘Her Blue Sky’ Explores The Complexities Of Regret And Love

Charles HartfordBy Charles Hartford10/09/20245 Mins Read
Her Blue Sky
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

In Her Blue Sky, Aoi Aioi (Shion Wakayama, Dan Da Dan) lives with her sister Akane (Riho Yoshioka, Gannibal) in a small town in the Japanese countryside. Nearing the end of her school years, Aoi plans to leave for Tokyo to become a famous bassist. But when a ghost from her and her sister’s past appears one day, everything Aoi thought she had figured out comes into question in Her Blue Sky from CloverWorks, directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai and written by Mari Okada (Oni: Thunder God’s Tale).

When Aoi was young, she’d always hang out with Akane. She loved spending time with her, especially when Akane’s friend’s band would practice. She dreamed of becoming a bassist and performing with them. Akane’s boyfriend, Shinnosuke (Ryô Yoshizawa, My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission), was always particularly kind to the young girl. But the happy times ended when Aoi and Akane’s parents died in a tragic car accident. Shortly after that, Shinno left for Tokyo to become a guitarist. While he asked Akane to go with him, she couldn’t leave Aoi alone and stayed behind. Fast forward 15 years later…

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

While many great elements must come together to form a memorable tale, none are more critical than nuance. While a simple narrative is easier to follow, complexities draw the viewer in. This is where revelations and questions are born within the viewer’s mind. This is how a narrative makes itself feel real. Life has been described in a great many ways, but no one who has ever lived would call it simple.

Her Blue Sky gradually introduces the viewer to its world. After the opening setup in the past, we meet Aoi and Akane as they go about their normal days. Aoi plays the bass while waiting for her sister to pick her up. Once together, the pair feel indiscernible from any other close siblings.

While the film doesn’t use much of its little under two-hour run time to establish the duo, the time it takes is important and used effectively. These first moments with them establish what feels like a straightforward relationship. Allowing the viewer to gain a fixed image of the pair makes the following sequences more powerful, as some elements are built up with further clarification while others are revealed not to be the whole truth.

The trigger for the events that change the course of Aoi and Akane’s lives is the appearance of Shinno’s teenage self in the building where Aoi practices. With no clear reasons for how or why Shinno has returned, Aoi begins considering what could have caused this seemingly impossible event and what must be done to set the world right again.

Her Blood Sky

The appearance of this visitor from the past sends Aoi on a collision course with old feelings that had long been buried. Her feelings towards her sister, her future, and Shinno himself all come crashing together as she tries to come to terms with what’s happening.

Her Blue Sky brings Aoi’s struggles to vivid life. The writing and voice work come together to deliver a convincing portrayal of a teenager trying to keep her head above the emotional waters. The film’s work reaches a powerful crescendo when Aoi wrongly lashes out at her sister.

As the young girl vents her feelings, we also get an internal monologue from her, acknowledging the unfairness of what she is saying and how she actively doesn’t want to say what is coming out of her mouth. Driving emotional momentum, though, causes her to continue delivering hurtful statements to a sister who has done nothing but care for her.

While Aoi’s story delivers an emotional maelstrom that is easy to get swept away in, Akane’s side of the story is no less powerful, though it is noticeably more subdued. When the woman faces the choices of her past, Her Blue Sky delivers a layered exploration of love and regret, much of which is shown but never said.

It is through Akane that the movie centers on the theme of regret. Having stayed with her sister rather than follow her boyfriend, Akane was forced to make an unfair decision. The beautiful thing about Akane’s character is how the movie gets across the fact that Akane is of two hearts for her situation. While she regrets not going with Shinno, she loves her life with Akane. While these concepts feel opposed, Akane’s character comes through feeling truly human for this contradiction. By holding both truths, she can embody the multitudes a person can contain within themselves.

Despite all the trials and tribulations the characters endure, the final stretch of Her Blue Sky manages to bring an uplifting end to the narrative. Gorgeous visuals and spirit-lifting music come together with heartfelt writing in the final stretch of the film to bring the film to a happy close. But while it does end on a high note, the ending doesn’t go so far as to make it feel like an artificial “happily ever after” ending. There are still things to be done, but everyone’s feet are on the right path now.

While I largely loved how Her Blue Sky brings its story together, there is one glaring narrative hole. While the regrets of the past get sorted, Aoi and Akane’s present-day relationship feels underserved in the film’s ending. There are some challenging moments in the film between the two that never get resolved. After a dangerous encounter in the third act, it’s clear that the two are on good terms again, but the harshness of those earlier moments is never actually addressed. This leaves an unfinished blemish on an otherwise fantastic finale.

Her Blue Sky does a fabulous job of exploring the complexities of regret and love. Lovely visuals and top-notch voice work back up the nuance it uses to explore its subject matter. Despite some elements of the film feeling not fully resolved, the great moments within this story still make it an emotionally fantastic journey.

Her Blue Sky is streaming now on Netflix.

Her Blue Sky
  • 8.5/10
    Rating - 8.5/10
8.5/10

TL;DR

Her Blue Sky does a fabulous job of exploring the complexities of regret and love.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Tower of God’ Season 2 Episode 14 — “Meeting The Traveler”
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’ Is A Stellar Continuation
Charles Hartford
  • X (Twitter)

Lifelong geek who enjoys comics, video games, movies, reading and board games . Over the past year I’ve taken a more active interest in artistic pursuits including digital painting, and now writing. I look forward to growing as a writer and bettering my craft in my time here!

Related Posts

The Old Guard 2
5.5

REVIEW: ‘The Old Guard 2’ Is Distracted And Half-Baked

07/02/2025
Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey in Jurassic World: Rebirth
5.5

REVIEW: ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ Is Best When Nobody Is Talking

06/30/2025
MEGAN 2.0 promotional image
7.0

REVIEW: ‘M3GAN 2.0’ Puts Action First

06/29/2025
F1 (2025) promotional key art
8.0

REVIEW: ‘F1’ Is A High-Octane Blockbuster

06/24/2025
KPop Demon Hunters Promotional image form Netflix
9.0

REVIEW: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Brings Beautiful Animation And An Even Better Message

06/20/2025
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams in 28 Years Later
8.5

REVIEW: ’28 Years Later’ Is How Franchises Should Return

06/18/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Taecyeon and Seohyun in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8
7.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The First Night With The Duke’ Episodes 7-8

By Sarah Musnicky07/03/2025

The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8 spends welcome time in pre-domestic bliss before new developments stir up trouble.

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf trailer First Look Image From Prime Video News

Prime Video Unleashes Teaser for Prequel Series The Terminal List: Dark Wolf

By Kate Sánchez07/04/2025

The first Terminal List: Dark Wolf trailer was released today by Prime Video. The series…

Black Clover Season 5 featured News

Black Clover New Season Gets First Look Teaser from Crunchyroll

By Sarah Musnicky07/05/2025

Black Clover is back for a brand new season, and Crunchyroll has revealed the first footage and key art out of Anime Expo.

Absolute Green Lantern Issue 4 DC Comics

REVIEW: ‘Absolute Green Lantern’ Issue 4

By William Tucker07/02/2025

Absolute Green Lantern Issue 4 starts to connect the past and present, finally revealing how Jo inhereited the power of the Green Lantern.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here