It’s finally here. Atsuko Ishizuka’s visually beautiful and tragic theatrical debut, Goodbye, Don Glees! is now out in cinemas. There’s no time more exciting yet poignant than the end of youth… When we weigh up what’s truly special to us and become aware of the wider world outside our humble hometowns. Well, that’s what Goodbye, Don Glees! is… It’s a reflection on the past, and a guide towards the future. So, get ready to laugh, cry, and reminisce as we watch a group of misfits discover what it means to grow up. With a beautiful soundtrack, stunning animation, and absolutely brilliant characters, Goodbye Don, Glees! is sure to bring a bitter sweet smile to your face. And yes, we do advice taking tissues with you…
Goodbye, Don Glees! Is the original feature debut of Atsuko Ishizuka, a rising female director in the male-dominated Japanese animation industry. Ishizuka made waves with her critically acclaimed 2018 television series A Place Further than the Universe (which also made us cry), with the New York Times naming it one of the Best International Shows of the Year. Fans of Japanese animation may also know her earlier work, No Game, No Life, an adaptation of the popular fantasy light novel series., and its theatrical prequel No Game, No Life the Movie: Zero.
Teen misfits Roma, Toto, and Drop call themselves the “Don Glees,” an informal name for their backyard adventures. One day, when the trio gets blamed for a nearby forest fire, they set off into the woods to prove their innocence. As disaster strikes their expedition, tensions flare between the friends as they realize that growing up has taken them on wildly different paths in life. With luminescent animation and lush backdrops, Goodbye, Don Glees! is a tender coming-of-age story about the fearlessness of being young and the bittersweet journey of self-discovery.
Goodbye, Don Glees! is out now in cinemas in Japanese with English subtitled, as well as an English language dub. There’s still time to book tickets, so what are you waiting for? For more information and to book, you can visit dongleesfilm.co.uk
