“Makoto” seems like the kind of person who would likely be tardy even for their own funeral. Each morning is a frantic scramble, rushing through breakfast before heading off to high school with her two closest companions, “Kosuke” and “Chiaki,” where they continue their unremarkable schooling! The highlight of their day appears to be playing baseball, talking, and generally sorting out the world’s problems. One afternoon, while looking into something unusual in the laboratory, she unexpectedly finds herself caught in a strange situation reminiscent of Groundhog Day, repeatedly experiencing the same moments with identical results. Following a brief discussion with her “Auntie Witch,” she remains hopeful that she can perhaps make things better and assist her friends—but each attempt reveals as many unforeseen consequences as there are positive changes resulting from her actions. In fact, quite often, her efforts seem to make matters considerably worse! The situation grows even more complicated when her friend “Chiaki” brings up the possibility of them dating. How many times can she go through that particular scenario without jeopardizing their friendship? I won’t say I particularly warmed to this young woman; in truth, I found her rather irritating. However, watching her constantly re-evaluate and second-guess the ripple effects of her choices, and seeing how unpredictably those actions lead to serious, mischievous, and humorous outcomes, does make the film more engaging. Despite what you might expect, it doesn’t become repetitive; the final twenty minutes introduce a surprising development that casts much of the previous hour in a pleasant, perhaps even somewhat sentimental light. The animation is straightforward but full of detail, and because the story keeps looping, subtle alterations are included from time to time to maintain visual interest as this young girl learns things about herself and her friends that suggest there’s no easy solution.

Source on TMDB