For all the fans that have been waiting for more adventures starring Keiichi and his three beautiful Goddesses, your cries have been answered. Released in the spring of 2000, the Ah! Megami- sama movie is a full-length work of art that is sure to please any fan of the show. For the people that have not yet seen Ah! Megami-sama (released in the US under the title, Oh My Goddess!), and are worried that they won't be able to follow along with the movie, let your fears rest, as the movie can easily be seen as a stand-alone release.

After a few minutes into the movie the viewer will realize that the animation has indeed been revamped for the better. When the Goddesses sing, or use their magical powers, their spirits rise up from within them, and provide an awe-inspiring mood, which carries throughout the entire movie.



The fascinating aspect about this movie is the new ways that each scene is presented. Flashbacks play a vital role in the telling of the story, giving the audience glimpses into Belldandy's youth, and the by-gone fate of Celestine. Another interesting feature of the movie is the surrealistic mood surrounding everything, switching the setting continuously between Earth, Heaven, and the hazy areas in between, conjured up by magic and their minds. The animation uses a combination of crisply done cel work, as well as CG scenes dispersed throughout the movie to give the Goddesses' magic spells extra zest. The artwork climbs to a magnificent zenith near the end of the movie, where the art and the music combine in a heart-wrenching scene, --but, I won't say anything more about it.

Music has always been a crucial characteristic in movies, either adding strength to the scenes, or stinking them up abominably. Fortunately, the soundtrack for the Ah! Megami-sama movie does the former. Not only does it contain beautiful instrumentals, as every good soundtrack should, but also gripping vocals, sung by the Goddesses. It makes you think that maybe that's what Goddesses and angels really do sound like, with their heavenly melody and wondrous harmony. As for that gorgeous scene at the end that I mentioned before-- I'm still not ready to give away anything about it. You'll just have to see it for yourself.



To all the fans of Ah! Megami-sama that couldn't wait to see more about their favorite characters, this is the movie for you. It combines the same magic and splendor that hooked so many fans in the beginning, and it adds even more beauty, to ensure yet another myriad of fans. Even if you've never seen the original OVAs, or even the Adventures of the Mini-Goddess, now is a good time to start. Although darker than any other Ah! Megami-sama work in the past, it contains the drama, emotion, and adventure that separates any good movie from the bad. So, before school starts and it's time to head back to the books, give yourself one last break and watch this movie. You won't regret it.