I find myself surprised. I've certainly seen other films that were marked with a notably soft tone, whether it worked in their favor or not. This is so gentle in its dispensation that it nearly sails past unremarked, and that includes Hara Keiichi's direction, Fuuki Harumi's score, and to be honest even the animation, as seen in the basic movements of characters. As it was the English dub that I found to watch (Japanese audio with English subtitles was regrettably unavailable) I can only trust that the dubbing script is a faithful translation of the dialogue in Maruo Miho's adapted screenplay, but one way or another, even the dubbed voice acting is curiously placid if not altogether flat, as if the voice director had instructed their cast to restrain their performances as heavily as possible. All this, even with themes of vicious bullying and cruelty among or targeting schoolchildren, and finding confidence and camaraderie in a new group of friends, and a forewarned aspect of great peril for the characters involved. I thought this might change as the length advanced, yet it's not until the third act that the tone shifts in any way, not least with crescendos in the music.
None of this is a mark against the picture so severe as to wholly dampen the viewing experience, but the impact that it should be having is emphatically diminished. It's not until the third act - when the music swells, when we see the lives of the characters fully laid bare, and when the drama is at its peak - that the movie seems to be operating at the level that it should have all along. It's lovely all the while, yes, with a story that's compelling and should be more so, and with animation that pretty well meets the modern standard for Japanese studios. Though some odds and ends are an exception with curious, unnatural movement, at large the character designs are excellent, there's splendid detail in every background and every active element, and even the infusion of 3D rendering into the predominant 2D style is handled well. And still, following the climax, the feature returns to its pointedly even-keeled tenor for the last stretch, allowing the plot to resolve as relatively passively as it began. There's much to appreciate in these two hours, but 'Lonely castle in the mirror' is simply never as strong or meaningful as it should be.
I like it. It's enjoyable, and worthwhile. It doesn't nearly meet its full potential, however, and I'm hard-pressed to give an especial recommendation; in every regard I believe the title really needed to zero in on the emotional weight of the narrative. Check it out if you have the chance to watch, but don't go out of your way and temper your expectations, and maybe that's the best way to get the most out of 'Lonely castle in the mirror.'
