Cider no You ni Kotoba ga Wakiagaru

Yui "Cherry" Sakura expresses himself better through the haiku he writes and posts on the internet, even though no one gives it attention. While preparing for him and his family to relocate in August, he spends the summer working part-time at a welfare facility. Meanwhile, Yuki "Smile" Hoshino is a budding influencer who wants everyone to smile. However, she feels uneasy about the braces on her protruding front teeth and conceals her own smile using a disposable mask.

After an accidental encounter with Cherry, Smile finds herself becoming a part-time worker at the same facility as him. Soon, the two assist a senile man, Fujiyama, in searching for an old vinyl record he owns. Unable to remember its last location, he wishes to listen to it once more before his memories fade for good. Cherry and Smile only have the record's sleeve and the word "yamazakura" as clues, and their hunt in the hazy summer heat begins.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Cherry Main

Ichikawa, Somegorou Japanese

Smile Main

Sugisaki, Hana Japanese

Mr. Fujiyama Supporting

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Juri Supporting

Nakajima, Megumi Japanese

Beaver Supporting

Han, Megumi Japanese

Japan Supporting

Hanae, Natsuki Japanese

Fujiyama, Yasuyuki Supporting

Umehara, Yuuichirou Japanese

Nami Supporting

Itou, Shizuka Japanese

Motopuri Supporting

Yanagita, Junichi Japanese

Miyuki Supporting

Numakura, Manami Japanese

Fukao, Satoshi Producer

Ogawa, Takuya Producer

Birukawa, Hiroyuki Producer

Ishikawa, Yoshimoto Producer

Reviews

Jan 2, 2026

Who8MahPudden

Recommended

Let me begin with a haiku:

OH-HOH CHERRY BOY!!
In life love never fades
We pass it along

I love this movie, so very much. It's beautiful and vividly animated by a staff who clearly love the project. The neon pallet captures the tone of summer and the simplicity and naivete of youth. The main characters are real and lovely in their own ways; maybe a bit cliche, but relatable and endearing. I loved the supporting characters and wish we got to see a bit more of them and their lives. (Juri and Mari seemed the flattest and least developed characters, sadly.) The focus of the ... movie is definitely centered on the leads.

There's something wonderful and poetic about celebrating bad art. Or perhaps I should say cherishing amateur art. This movie takes the theme to heart and it works! It really complements these slice-of-life stories featuring every-day people spinning their wheels in their very normal but very personal problems. It's also offers an incredibly hopeful message that anyone in their own arc can find a point to relate. Either those lost in youth and possibilities, those marching through the mid-life, or those staring down their sunsets. This movie has love for us, where we are.

This movie feels like a response to Your Name. The arc is similar, but the stakes are lower. The problems in Your Name are not there, but neither is the ambition. The love is there, but the depths are not delved. I feel mixed about this; it's great to finish a manageable project, and there's also something heroic about struggling with an overly-ambitious one. This movie knows what it is, what it is not, and I will just love it for what it is.

My biggest critique is the lack of connective tissue. The elements, themes, art, characters, and pacing are great, I just wish there were more to tie them all together. Rather, it feels more like a highlight reel of pieces that aren't tied together as tightly as they may be. In this vein, I wanted the secondary characters to have more screen time and bigger lives than merely supporting the main characters. The culture of the town would have a clearer identity and made its impression on more characters in many ways.

Nevertheless, this is a great movie. There is only one joke, but it's used three times, and each time it was so successful I had to pause to laugh. This movie was funnier than most "comedy" anime. I highly recommend this movie if you're up for a sweet treat.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Sep 12, 2025

BenR98045

Mixed Feelings

Generally speaking, I think that this movie was a fun movie, but I can't give it more than a seven. Is it because of the lack of fighting and that sort of action? No, because there are good, even GREAT romantic movies and shows in anime. Is it because of the ideas behind the movie? Not because it's a very cute movie, all things considered. But I think that there are movies and shows that have been released both before and after the movie's release that did better. One of said series is, arguably, Your Lie in April. BUT if ... you're looking for a heart-warming movie that'll fill the time, this is definitely a good one.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Jul 16, 2025

Cardboil

Not Recommended

This was so boring I can't even tell you what happened like YAWNNNNNN
Don't watch it its just boring and a whole bunch of nothing.
Boring characters boring plot, not unique at all. I thought it would be funny but what happened? Nothing significant
A good plot should have something you remember and like going back to. I didn't even watch this too long ago.
Like the only reason it is not a 1 star is because "A whisker away" is the most terrible thing ever, and I can't compare it to this.
I don't care about the characters, couldn't even get attached to them. Bad

Reviewer’s Rating: 2

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	Poll: Cider no You ni Kotoba ga Wakiagaru Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) KANLen09 - Jul 22, 2021	115 replies	by wizwombat11 »» Apr 10, 2025 10:17 AM
	Did cherry and smile get together at the end or not? Generatordid - Aug 3, 2021	21 replies	by GrayZStars »» Aug 1, 2023 7:08 PM
	Streaming on Netflix JohanJ04 - Jun 23, 2021	16 replies	by JohanJ04 »» Feb 19, 2023 6:37 PM
	Let's not talk about the dub's ending ttc1001 - Jul 23, 2021	35 replies	by TheSunLife »» Apr 27, 2022 6:26 AM
	Is the English dub good? RealNath - Aug 1, 2021	17 replies	by Shad0w24 »» Aug 21, 2021 9:49 PM