English Dub Review: Given The Movie 2: Hiiragi Mix
Ritsuka Uenoyama’s passion for music is reignited after meeting Mafuyu Sato, whose heartfelt singing, combined with Ritsuka’s guitar playing, finally propels their band forward. However, as Mafuyu continues to confront his past and his growing feelings for Ritsuka, the distance between them begins to shift. After falling short during auditions for a music festival in Shibuya despite gaining recognition, Mafuyu’s childhood friends, Shizusumi Yagi and Hiiragi Kashima, prepare to debut with their own band, syh. When the group suddenly loses its guitarist, Hiiragi turns to Ritsuka with an unexpected request to perform alongside them for their biggest show yet.
On the technical side, This Anime movie sequel was produced by Lerche and reunites much of the franchise’s returning staff, with Noriko Hashimoto directing, Yuniko Ayana writing the screenplay, Mina Ōsawa serving as character designer and chief animation director, Michiru composing the music, and Hiromi Kikuta returning as sound director. The production also features art directors Shizuka Sekiguchi and Yang Liu, CGI director Tomoya Mizuno, director of photography Naoki Serizawa, and chief animation directors Hina Nagata, Kouji Yamagata, and Nanako Ninomiya. Japanese band Centimillimental performs the film’s theme song, “Super Ultra I LOVE YOU.”
The second Given film, Hiiragi Mix, continues following a group of young musicians as they navigate both their artistic ambitions and increasingly complicated emotional ties. Much like the previous full-length movie, it remains focused on themes of friendship, ambition, and the struggle to pursue dreams within the competitive world of music. At the center of the story is a band still carrying the emotional weight of their late vocalist, whose absence continues to influence the relationships between the remaining members. While they rely on one another for stability, unspoken emotions and lingering grief continue to quietly strain their bond. This time, the narrative also expands into syh, the band formed by Hiiragi and Shizusumi, bringing Ritsuka into their orbit and connecting both groups through music tied to Yuki’s legacy.
Rather than simply continuing the original Given storyline or the first movie, the film shifts perspective to explore grief and connection from a different angle. While this broadens the emotional scope, the structural focus on Hiiragi and Shizusumi introduces some unevenness in pacing. Their history is often conveyed through brief flashbacks or compressed exposition, which makes their romantic progression feel more abrupt than fully developed. As a result, their relationship leans more heavily on familiar BL tropes, including miscommunication and emotionally charged but sometimes rushed turning points.
Even so, the character dynamics remain compelling even when the writing doesn’t fully land. Hiiragi’s outgoing, emotionally transparent personality contrasts strongly with Shizusumi’s quiet, restrained nature, creating a push-and-pull dynamic that carries much of their appeal. Meanwhile, Ritsuka serves as a bridge between both bands, while Mafuyu remains largely internal, still processing grief tied to Yuki in ways that keep his arc intentionally unresolved. The film ultimately balances multiple emotional threads without fully concluding most of them, reinforcing its role as a transitional chapter rather than a standalone resolution.
The production quality is consistently strong, with the animation capturing both the energy of live performances and the subtle emotional weight of quieter character moments. Musical sequences remain a standout, using staging and expression to convey emotional subtext rather than relying on dialogue alone. The soundtrack enhances the reflective tone of the film, while the ending theme reinforces the lingering emotional tension that carries through the story.
Overall, Hiiragi Mix is a visually and emotionally engaging continuation that expands the world of Given, even if its structure feels uneven at times. It deepens the series’ core themes of grief, connection, and growth through music, but the compressed development of its new central couple can make certain emotional beats feel rushed. However, the story is far from over, with a third and final film still to come, meaning several narrative threads remain intentionally unresolved as the series builds toward its conclusion.
