Among the sisters Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki, who does Futaro marry in The Quintessential Quintuplets? It’s a question people might ask even if they don’t follow the series. The idea of who wins is pretty much the whole point of The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie. Well, that and who the girl in the picture was. At the same. time, it pretty successfully tells a story that is accessible to anyone who watches it. As long as someone is familiar with harem anime or manga series and is aware that there are five sisters, one classmate who tutors them, and one ends up with him in the end, it’s possible to appreciate the situation and film.
The beginning of the movie plays with the notion of “which sister does Futaro marry” by not exactly revealing which Nakano “quintessential quintuplet” he ends up with and who wins. He reminisces about a flashback in which all five sisters appear before him. Then, when he goes to see the bride in her dress, all five appear in gowns ahead of him, saying that they love him one after another.
From there, it goes back to that fateful moment to answer the question about who wins in that The Quintessential Quintuplets viewers have been wondering about for years. (Well, if they didn’t go ahead and read the manga.) We get to see every characters’ special moments with both Futaro and their sisters. Starting with Yotsuba, we’re seeing insight into what might be next for The Quintessential Quintuplets. Nino especially ends up getting moments with everyone, helping to establish relationships and mindsets.
But what’s also great about the movie is that it addresses these questions, but in a way in which newcomers can generally hop in and get what’s going on. It becomes obvious fairly swiftly that both Ichika and Nino understand their sisters Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki all love Futaro in The Quintessential Quintuplets. Their attitudes make elements of their personalities come off strongly, perhaps more so than in the anime and manga sometimes, to help set each one apart rather quickly for possible newcomers. However, it isn’t “so” out of character that it is overwhelming for people who already love the series.
To be honest, I also feel like the format is great for people who have been interested in the concept of The Quintessential Quintuplets, but didn’t want to spend 14 volumes wondering “will they or won’t they” when thinking about who does Futaro finally marry. There is absolutely that sense of tension. Especially when we get moments where certain sisters spend time one-on-one with Futaro.
The structure in the movie also pays off for The Quintessential Quintuplets fans who have a favorite. After a certain point, there are these hypothetical situations. This means everyone gets to see these extra moments with each sister. We can appreciate character development that came up throughout the anime and culminate in the film. So even if the sister that is your pick doesn’t win, you get to experience a moment in which she did get her time with Futaro. However, when it comes to the Nino, Yotsuba, and Itsuki parts, The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie puts up more of a barrier. (The Itsuki segment is the one that requires the most prior knowledge.)
The result is a movie with a big payoff. No matter which character or pairing you like, there’s a part of the film a fan would enjoy. If you’re new to the series, the nature and structure is still enjoyable enough and helps provide enough context to explain who is important and why answers to questions about that and the girl Futaro met so many years ago matter. And, well, if you want to know who wins, watching The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie answers that and leaves one of the “winners” at the end.
The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie came out in Japan in May 2022, and started to appear in other countries worldwide in December 2022.
