Prequel to 2004 coming-of-age live-action film Hana & Alice.

This anime is fresh and free-flowing. It follows the trials and tribulations of Alice who moves to a new neighbourhood and school. She soon discovers the harsh realities and related fictions around some recent incidents and its repercussions still affecting the surrounding school life.
The narrative keeps you guessing and has great depth in character exploration and philosophical musing, including a mysterious old man. It physically and metaphysically moves with the colours of the beautiful drawings. There are a few chases, intertwined with moments of peace, pose and beauty like the underlying aesthetics of ballet.
A rare mixture of quirkiness and quintessential existentialism, married with some strong storytelling elements to make it a superb artistic whole that will stand multiple viewing and the test of time.
In terms of story, imagine Old Boy but with teenagers and love theme instead of grown-up violence and revenge. But it terms of tone, it is light-hearted yet intellectual, artistic and emotional.
A great addition to the top-notch anime productions we come to expect from Japan. This time as a first animation feature from gifted and acclaimed Shunji Iwai who writes, direct, edit and even provides music to this miraculous masterpiece.

imdb:tt4125300