Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Fine: What Lies Beyond the “Ending”

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata (Saekano: Raising a Boring Girlfriend) Fine is an anime film which concludes the story from the previously adapted two anime seasons of Saekano light novel series. This movie brings closure to the story by providing an adaptation of the later volumes of the novels, mainly volume 11-13, while also presenting an original epilogue of sorts. The following is a translated summary of the movie, with spoilers. If you have read the original light novel series until the end, feel free to skip to the epilogue. Completed summaries of each plot point in this movie can be experienced from the light novels; you can find the other summaries here or buy the light novel yourself.

Summary

The blessing software members are gathering in a yakiniku restaurant to celebrate their Summer Comiket success and discuss the future direction of their circle. It doesn’t take long for Megumi and Iori to start going at each other’s throats; Megumi doesn’t seem to like that fact that Iori barely offers any physical help, but Iori does provide a lot of promotion for the circle via Twitter through his sheer popularity and connections. On the other hand, Megumi’s relationship with Eriri and Utaha is still strained due to them being recruited by Akane Kousaka. Akane crashes the party and brings up the talk about Fields Chronicle.

Tomoya is working to complete the whole scenario of the new game in preparation for the Winter Comiket, but he runs into a slump while working on Meguri’s route. He tries reaching out to Utaha for advice, but she is suddenly unavailable due to work. Akane ends up being the one who reads his scenario. She tells him that while his writing is all over the place and full of embarrassing delusions, she still thinks it’s interesting. She compliments his ability on the latter part of Meguri’s route, but comments that him being overly conscious in writing good prose has diminished the uniqueness of his writing style. Thus, Akane advises him to write an interesting story with his own style without minding the quality of his words. After being able to write the scenario with Akane’s advice, Tomoya asks Megumi to check the Meguri route and she experiences embarrassment from the depths of hell as she reads through the scenario.

Tomoya and Megumi decide to recreate the scenes in the Meguri route in pursuit of more realism. Tomoya asks Megumi out on a date on her birthday. Despite being slightly displeased that she’s getting “interviewed” for her birthday, she accepts his invitation. However, as Megumi is waiting at the promised place on the day, she receives a call from Tomoya who cancels the date as Akane is hospitalized due to cerebral infarction. Akane’s hospitalization threatens the completion of Fields Chronicle; despite Iori standing in as a manager for Eriri and Utaha, the negotiation fails and the game development will be terminated. Megumi’s birthday ends up being celebrated a day after, but she still feels down inside due to the date being cancelled.

As Mars announces that they can’t postpone the game any longer, they decide to terminate the contract with Eriri and Utaha and release the game in its incomplete stage with some adjustments. Eriri objects and wishes to continue working on the game, but fails to renegotiate terms and comes to Tomoya for help. Tomoya, not wanting to see the game that Utaha and Eriri had been working on turns from a “god-tier game” to just a “good game” volunteers to be their manager. Megumi leaves the circle, disappointed in Tomoya.

Tomoya successfully renegotiates terms with Mars and secures two weeks of extension, enough to complete Fields Chronicle the way it’s meant to be. Tomoya returns to the circle afterwards, but Megumi is still angry at him. His confession is what finally leads to her forgiveness.

“I love you Megumi. Not Meguri, not two-dimensional character; the one I love is you, Megumi Katou.”

“You pass.”

They kiss and reconcile after the confession. Circle activity successfully proceeds despite two weeks of hiatus, with Eriri and Utaha coming to help during the debugging process.

In the process of asking Tomoya to help them complete Fields Chronicle, Utaha tells Eriri that the decision may end up hurting Megumi and robbing Tomoya of his dream, so they should help Tomoya’s circle in return. She also convinces Eriri to give up her feelings for Tomoya from ten years ago, and Eriri finally does as she break down in tears.

The story ends with a successful Winter Comiket and Megumi graduating from high school.

“Tomoya-kun, have I become the best main heroine, I wonder?”

Epilogue

This epilogue takes place ten years after the ending.

Tomoya and his friends have become adults and are now following their own paths. Since Tomoya doesn’t have any talent, he gives up on his dream and becomes a salaryman. Megumi, disappointed in him, says she wants to break up with him. Tomoya is living a poor life inside a ragged apartment. On the other hand, Iori is living a life of gambling and has fallen into debt. He invites Tomoya to talk and asks Tomoya to “team up with him” again like old times. However, Tomoya refuses Iori’s words telling him to “face the reality”. Tomoya ends up being abandoned by Megumi and experiences a life of failure. However, Tomoya and Utaha later have a fateful meeting and they end up together. The end.

…Of course, that is just a scenario Utaha cooked up without permission.

In reality, everyone has already become professional creators. Tomoya fulfills his promise with Eriri by creating a game company and asks Eriri and Utaha to be his clients. Megumi has grown her hair long again, and she’s become incredibly cute. Utaha cuts her hair short, while Eriri doesn’t tie her hair in twintails anymore. Michiru and Izumi barely change from ten years ago.

Tomoya and Megumi is all flirty with each other and was already thinking about going all lovey-dovey at home, but everyone has already gathered when they return. Megumi still harbors jealousy towards Eriri and Utaha, as the two try to determine whether Megumi is fitting to be Tomoya’s bride. Despite being slightly displeased, Megumi is happy to see everyone together. She is still pretty bummed having their lovey-dovey time being interrupted; and so, Tomoya and Megumi retreat to the kitchen as they close the story with a kiss.

END