It takes time and concentration for things to turn over in one’s favor. Like a game of Othello, victory comes when you have taken control of most of the board, rather than the whole thing. But as it’s shown in The Last Blossom, the latest creation from ODDTAXI masterminds Baku Kinoshita (director) and Kazuya Konomoto (writer), things feel better when one has every spot filled with their marks, even if it takes a lifetime to do so. And boy, does it take a lifespan for Akutsu (Kaoru Kobayashi) to gain that victory!

On his last day on Earth, Akutsu reflects on his life and choices. He speaks with a lone Hosenka flower (Pierre Taki), who often chastises and adds wise cracks to the story Akutsu speaks of. But as his past self (Junki Tozuka) shows, even his most terrible of decisions were done to better not just his life, but also the woman and child and his life. Considering the joy that Nana (Hikari Mitsushima) and her son, Kensuke, bring to Akutsu, it’s fair to say that he would do anything to protect them. And, in a sense, that’s what The Last Blossom is all about.

Never does this movie make Akutsu into a flawless hero character. He’s a yakuza, works with bad men, and seemingly makes decisions that hurt others and fattens his pockets. At first, he cares just for himself, with some sprinklings of concern for Nana. But his heart turns on a dime when Kensuke is found to have something wrong with him, with Akutsu and his boss, Tsutsumi (Hiroki Yasumoto), deciding on a plan that could help Kensuke, but also send our protagonist to the dog pound.

Considering where Akutsu is telling this tale, it should come as no surprise that things don’t exactly go his way. Be that as it may, he knew the risks of entering a life of crime, something that kept him from marrying Nana and fully dragging her into a dangerous world. So it’s nice to know that The Last Blossom doesn’t go a paint-by-numbers route with the second half of the film, leaving audience members guessing on not only how things will turn out in the past, but also what may entail in these characters’ futures.

The film takes one of ODDTAXI’s strongest aspects — its character growth — and showcases it beautifully throughout this film’s 90-minute runtime. We see the self-indulgent side of Akutsu slowly evaporate, like a firework’s sparks lingering in the sky. His selfishness transforms into selflessness, and just like the flowers that bloom in his backyard, Akutsu’s spirit becomes more colorful knowing that he’s been given the chance to save a precious life. (Said blossoms are also colored red, just like the blood he’ll no doubt have to spill to get the big job done.)

Animated by Studio CLAP (Pompo: The Cinephile), the movie takes more cues from the visual style of ODDTAXI than any of its past works. Consider that a good thing, as the art fits more to the kind of story Kinoshita and Konomoto aim to tell. While it’s not as action-packed as a scene involving a walrus driving a cab filled with cash towards the ocean, there are some visual moments here that really brought a big smile to my face. Case in point: a short musical performance involving a microwave timer, taped-up boxes, and a classic from Ben E. King.

In the end, The Last Blossom shows that even the greatest victories take time, perhaps even by one’s last breath. But so long as someone can revel in that victory for you, then that’s what matters most. One may not be around to see their gambles flip in their favor, but if it means a brighter future for people that greatly deserve it, then that definitely counts as a win in my books. For Kinoshita and Konomoto, their big-screen debut gamble with The Last Blossom is certainly a colorful victory that they and viewers everywhere can revel over.

English subtitled version observed for review. Promotional consideration provided by Grace Liliano of GKIDS and Alexandra B’Llamas-Reynoso & Annabella Penchishen of 42West PR. In US theaters August 30th!