One of the more well-received anime of Fall 2018, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, received a “sequel” of sorts in the form of a film adaptation in early June this year in Japan. The film, titled Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl, premiered in the US at Anime Expo 2019, but it appears that the film may be getting a more widespread American release on October 2nd if AMC’s theatrical listings are to be trusted.
The film picks up after the events of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, adapting the 6th and 7th volumes of the Rascal Does Not Dream manga. In Fujisawa, where the skies are bright and the seas glisten, Sakuta Azusagawa is in his second year of high school. His blissful days with his girlfriend and upperclassman, Mai Sakurajima, is interrupted with the appearance of his first crush, Shouko Makinohara. For reasons unknown, he encounters two Shouko’s: one in middle school and another who has become an adult. As Sakuta finds himself helplessly living with the Shouko’s, the adult Shouko leads him around by the nose, causing a huge rift in his relationship with Mai. In the midst of all of this, he discovers that the middle school Shouko is suffering from a grave illness and his scar begins to throb…
If you aren’t familiar with the Rascal Does Not Dream series, here’s a quick plot synopsis of the courtesy of My Anime List:
The rare and inexplicable Puberty Syndrome is thought of as a myth. It is a rare disease which only affects teenagers, and its symptoms are so supernatural that hardly anyone recognizes it as a legitimate occurrence. However, high school student Sakuta Azusagawa knows from personal experience that it is very much real, and happens to be quite prevalent in his school.
Mai Sakurajima is a third-year high school student who gained fame in her youth as a child actress, but recently halted her promising career for reasons unknown to the public. With an air of unapproachability, she is well known throughout the school, but none dare interact with her—that is until Sakuta sees her wandering the library in a bunny girl costume. Despite the getup, no one seems to notice her, and after confronting her, he realizes that she is another victim of Puberty Syndrome. As Sakuta tries to help Mai through her predicament, his actions bring him into contact with more girls afflicted with the elusive disease.
The series was praised last year for its phenomenal writing and characters, striking a chord with many viewers as a profoundly relatable RomCom anime, despite its very flimsy pseudo-science.
The arc covered by Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl is considered by many to be the best in the Rascal Does Not Dream series, so it’s exciting that it’ll potentially be exposed to such a wide audience come October. Of course, nothing is officially confirmed yet, and anime films traditionally don’t attract the largest audiences stateside, but it would be a fantastic way to watch the film considering the fact that it’s not currently streaming anywhere.
The film released to praise from critics and wider audiences alike, currently sitting at a solid 4/4.5 stars on Letterboxd. The film is directed by Souichi Masui and sees the original voice cast reprising their roles.