"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" was great. Except for the final song.

It was my fault for watching the dubbed version.

*This article contains spoilers.

Let me state this first.

Basically, I do not approve of dubbing.

I believe an actor's voice is part of their performance, so I watch foreign films with subtitles.

I understand the arguments that following subtitles is a hassle or that it makes it hard to focus on the visuals.

I understand them, but I still watch with subtitles.

In the first place, I do not approve of dubbing.

And yet, this time, due to circumstances, I chose the dubbed version.

So, I was prepared for a certain amount of discomfort.

The impression of the voices is different.

The temperature of the dialogue is different.

The translation slightly alters the contours of the characters.

I am fine with that much.

Since I chose the dubbed version, I accept that.

However, the moment a song by Mrs. GREEN APPLE started playing right after the movie ended, all that tolerance vanished.

This is just not right.

It was a disappointment on par with watching the Japanese dub of "Godzilla vs. Kong".

The movie was over.

Peter's loneliness, his fresh start, and his memories of MJ were still lingering in the darkness of the theater.

I intended to leave my seat while still savoring the lingering feeling.

However, the moment the song started playing, I was forcibly ejected from the world of the movie.

It wasn't a gentle return to reality.

It felt like I was grabbed by the scruff of my neck and thrown into a venue for a Japan-exclusive tie-in.

That was the sensation.

Just to be clear, this isn't about me disliking Mrs. GREEN APPLE.

It's not even about whether the song is good or bad.

The decision to overlay a Japanese version song onto this scene in this movie just doesn't fit.

Rather than not fitting, it ruins the lingering emotion.

I want the movie to be allowed to hold onto the emotions it created until the very end.

Why add extra flavor for the Japanese market at that moment?

It's like having a piece of shortcake shoved into your mouth right after finishing a bowl of ramen, even though you didn't ask for it.

Neither is bad on its own.

But now is not the time.

The MCU fan I watched it with also said, "That really kills the mood."

Exactly.

It wasn't just me.

The production side probably intended to prepare something special for the Japanese audience.

However, a special edition doesn't always add value.

There are things that are lost by adding something.

What was lost this time was the quiet lingering feeling that the final scene had.

At the very least, let me leave the theater in the same atmosphere as the movie.

That was my honest impression immediately after finishing the dubbed version.

Writing this much might make it seem like it was a poorly rated movie.

However, my current rating is 8 out of 10.

I think it was the best Tom Holland "Spider-Man" movie yet.

The action is good.

The story is good.

The theme that "with great power comes great responsibility" is also the most profound it has ever been.

That is exactly why the last song is so infuriating.

Because the main film was so good, I find it even more unforgivable.

If it were a boring movie, I would just say "oh well" if the song didn't fit.

This time is different.

I had properly received Peter's story.

I wanted to leave the theater quietly while holding onto what I had received.

That was taken away from me at the very last moment.

First, I want to start talking about this movie with my dissatisfaction regarding the song that was thrown into the end of the dubbed version.

The best Tom Holland version yet

To state the conclusion first, this work was undoubtedly the best Tom Holland "Spider-Man" movie yet.

However, this is the impression of someone who has watched almost all of the MCU.

If asked whether I would recommend it to an average person, I would not.

It is not that it is uninteresting.

In fact, it is interesting.

Both the action and the story have clearly evolved compared to past works.

Even so, it is hard to recommend.

That is because it demands too much prior knowledge from the audience.

Moreover, this is not the kind of bonus where you can look up "who that cameo was" later to enjoy it.

Knowledge of existing works and peripheral characters is woven into the main thread of the story.

Even for me, having watched all of the MCU, there were times I was left behind.

It is interesting.

But it is unfriendly.

It was good.

But I am not convinced.

This time, my impressions ended up being a bit twisted like that.

Peter, left alone

In this work, Peter is alone.

He has no family.

He has no friends.

His only decent conversational partner is E.D.I.T.H.

He is fighting alongside the Department of Damage Control because their interests align. However, there is no warm human relationship there.

Talk only when necessary, and cooperate only when needed.

This sense of distance was good.

Peter, whose identity is known to no one, still tries to remain Spider-Man.

I think the core of this work is Peter's struggle and fresh start as he finds himself alone.

However, there is one thing that bothers me.

Peter, how are you making a living?

In past Spider-Man films, we saw Peter working as a photographer or delivering pizzas.

He's late for work.

He gets scolded.

He struggles with rent.

His ordinary life falls apart because of his hero activities.

There, we saw the life of Peter Parker, not Spider-Man.

In this work, that part is barely depicted.

His room is lined with PCs and various types of equipment.

If he has Edith's advice, I can understand how he could build them himself.

But where is the money for the parts coming from?

What about rent?

What about food expenses?

Is it his aunt's inheritance?

Did Tony Stark leave something behind before he died?

There is no explanation.

If you are going to depict Peter living alone, I wanted to see a little bit of the foundation of that life.

I understand that Spider-Man is lonely.

However, before Peter Parker is lonely, he gets hungry.

I wanted to see that side of things, too.

Where Peter works, how he pays his rent, and how he squeezes his activities as Spider-Man into his daily life.

If that life were visible, the fact that he is "alone" should have carried more weight.

Evolution as a spider and responsibility as a human

In this work, Peter evolves as a "spider".

While his physical abilities are enhanced, his ferocity also increases.

The stronger he becomes, the closer he gets to something that is not Peter Parker.

This flow is somewhat reminiscent of the Tobey Maguire version of "Spider-Man 3".

Honestly, it is a bit of a cliché development.

Being consumed by great power, becoming violent, and finally regaining oneself.

It is a mold that has been used many times in hero movies.

Even so, in this work, that mold was properly connected to Peter's story.

"With great power comes great responsibility."

If you know Spider-Man, you have probably heard those words many times.

However, in this work, that meaning is heavier than ever before.

He does not fight because he has power.

With great power comes the need for self-control.

It's not about whether you can win, but how you win.

It's not about whether you can defeat your enemy, but who you remain as a person.

Evolving as a spider, while holding your ground as a human.

Peter has become stronger than ever before.

However, that strength also carries the potential to destroy Peter himself.

Becoming stronger is not the same thing as growing.

Being able to restrain your own power.

Not destroying your opponent in a fit of rage.

Pausing to reflect, especially in the moments when you feel you are right.

What Peter faced in this work was not just the strength of his enemies.

I think it was a simpler, more dangerous answer within himself.

If you hit them, it ends.

If you break them, it stops.

I have the power to do that.

And yet, I don't.

That choice is where Spider-Man's responsibility lies.

This part was the biggest reason why I felt this work was the best of the Tom Holland films.

No, who is that?

My biggest complaint is the lack of explanation.

His relationship with Frank Castle, also known as the Punisher.

Enemies Peter has fought in the past.

Events that occurred before this work.

In the beginning, a significant amount of information is handled through narration.

Movies have a limited runtime.

I understand that not everything can be depicted in detail.

However, the characters and events that were glossed over by narration return later as important elements of the story.

Wait, hold on.

Isn't that a story that should be shown in the main narrative?

A cameo would be fine.

If it's just a realization later on like, 'Oh, so that was that person,' it can be enjoyed as fan service.

But in this work, existing knowledge is cutting into the main plot line.

What happened in the past?

What kind of relationship do Peter and the other person have?

Why is that person here now?

The story moves forward without fully depicting these things.

The audience ends up searching through their own mental archives while watching the movie.

Who was that again?

Where did they appear?

What happened?

The moment the audience starts thinking that, they disengage from the story.

The same goes for the final boss.

Knowledge gained only from watching the MCU is not enough.

I can feel the intention to connect it to the X-Men.

Of course, I know that Jean herself is a character who represents the X-Men.

However, the Jean who appears in this work is only standing at the entrance to that world.

No one appears who points to the world beyond her, starting with Professor X.

Since this is a Spider-Man movie, I understand the decision not to put the X-Men at the forefront.

Even so, if they intended to connect it in earnest, couldn't they have built a slightly better bridge?

It doesn't have to be an overt exposition character.

Even just a single glance would have been enough.

If there had been something that let the audience know "there is a world on that side too," I think the impression would have been quite different.

Even I, who have watched the entire series, was left behind several times.

I wonder what will happen to first-time viewers.

Packing in information is not the same as expanding the world.

Increasing the number of characters is not the same as enriching the story.

Only the audience who knows information outside the movie can say "I see" and move forward.

Viewers who don't know are left behind, sensing only that "something seems important."

This is not fan service.

It is demanding preparation.

Why the Punisher?

The appearance of the Punisher also left me with questions.

Peter previously saved Frank's life on Staten Island.

That past itself is explained within the story.

So, it's not that I missed the previous work or the show.

The problem is that this important relationship was established off-screen before this work and is only conveyed through narration.

Frank in this work is a bit too much of a nice guy.

Peter, who is becoming increasingly violent, and Frank, who judges evil through violence.

A young man about to cross the line, and a man who has already crossed it many times.

I understand why they were placed as a contrast.

If it's a story about Peter losing control of his powers, there is a point to placing Frank beside him.

This is because Frank can be seen as someone who exists beyond the line Peter is about to cross.

However, the work does not sufficiently depict "why it had to be the Punisher."

If the past of saving a life is to be the foundation of their relationship, I would have liked to see even a short flashback.

Daredevil appeared in the previous work.

If the role was to stop Peter, Daredevil could have worked as well.

If the goal was to depict the boundary between violence and justice, it's possible he would have been a more natural fit.

There are other heroes in the MCU.

Among them, why Frank?

It felt like Frank was brought in to move the story along, rather than the story moving because Frank was there.

I see the roles before the characters.

Furthermore, Frank has become a bit too soft.

Perhaps it is to make the conversation with Peter work.

However, if the Punisher settles into the position of a "slightly dangerous but caring uncle," the very meaning of his inclusion is diminished.

He could be more dangerous.

He could even be someone Peter finds repulsive.

Even so, Peter realizes that he himself is becoming like that.

If they had stepped that far, wouldn't the necessity of it being Frank have been stronger?

The setup is interesting.

But it is not fully utilized.

That is what was a shame.

Don't use the Hulk as a yardstick

The handling of the Hulk was quite sloppy.

Even if he fights villains Peter has fought in the past, it is difficult to tell how much stronger Peter has become now.

That is why they brought out the Hulk, whose strength everyone knows.

That is how it looked to me.

In short, he is a yardstick to show Peter's strength.

Peter semi-restrains the Hulk with spider-webs.

And then, he returns to Bruce Banner because Jean's mental control is broken.

I understand the reason for his return, at least.

It wasn't that the transformation was conveniently undone without any explanation.

Even so, as a scene showing the power dynamic between Hulk and Peter, it felt quite forced.

In this work, to show Peter's strength, the buildup on the Hulk's side is pushed to the sidelines.

As a result,

"Peter, you've gotten stronger."

instead of that,

"Hulk, is it really okay to treat him like that?"

comes first.

If you're going to feature a character like the Hulk, I wanted you to show a little more respect.

He is not a convenient combat power measuring device.

Using a character built up in other works solely to show the protagonist's growth.

I think this is a trap that series with a shared universe easily fall into.

The audience doesn't just remember the Hulk's strength.

They have also seen what Banner has suffered and how he has come to terms with it.

Even if you put that buildup aside and show that "Peter can now stop the Hulk," I can't honestly be happy about it.

If you want to make Peter look strong, you should show it through Peter's way of fighting.

There is no need to make the Hulk look weak.

MJ is properly annoying this time too.

Throughout the entire series, I have had the impression of MJ as an "annoying woman."

This time, too, she did not betray that expectation.

Just the right amount of annoying.

It's properly irritating.

At this point, it's almost comforting.

In the final act, through MJ's reactions and Ned's memories, it's shown that Peter, who should have been erased, hasn't completely disappeared.

The existence of Peter has been wiped from their minds.

However, it remains somewhere in their bodies or senses.

They probably wanted to leave those kinds of traces on MJ and Ned.

I understand the intention.

I understand it, but it's a bit too much.

"I feel like I've met you somewhere."

"For some reason, I'm curious about you."

I think the lingering impression would have been deeper if they had stopped at that level.

However, the movie provides a rather clear answer.

They have forgotten Peter's existence.

But their bodies remember.

That's how it felt to me, as if it were explained that way.

The final scene was also depicted emotionally, but it was a bit simplistic.

That in itself isn't bad.

It's just that I wanted them to leave a little more room for the audience to feel it for themselves.

Emotions linger longer when they are left behind rather than explained.

There is a difference between making something easy to understand and leaving an unforgettable impression.

This time, they provided a bit too many answers.

That is precisely why I think the Japanese ending theme that played immediately after ruined the lingering feeling even more.

Yelena could have been brought into the story.

I understand the reason for including Yelena.

Since she herself has experienced brainwashing, she works as a confidant for Peter, who is bewildered by his own changes.

In the second half, she also investigates information on the Department of Damage Control at Peter's request.

She also has the role of seeing through Peter's loneliness.

Therefore, I do not think she was a completely unnecessary character.

However, if they were going to give her that much of a role, wouldn't it have been better to have her participate in the story during the final act?

In this work, Yelena stops at providing information and giving advice.

She never stands in the same place as Peter or Jean.

If she was placed as a bridge to the next work, I think she would have left a stronger impression as a character if she had joined the battle at least once at the end.

Saving Jean.

Stopping the enemy's objective.

Dealing with brainwashing or mental control in a different way than Peter.

Anything would have worked.

It would have been better if there was one more task that only Yelena could do in the final act.

And for some reason, she is in the bath for most of her appearances.

I suppose it's a directorial choice to make an impression of the character.

In fact, I remember the bath scene quite well.

However, the bath scene sticks with me more than what Elena actually did in this work.

That's a bit backwards.

She has a role.

But she doesn't really enter the main story as a character.

If her appearance was meant to lead to the next installment, I would have liked her to be more involved in the story of this work as well.

What will happen to Jean and Frank from here on?

I think there will be something for Jean in the future.

It doesn't look like a placement that ends with just this time.

Including connections to the final boss and the X-MEN, she likely has a role for the next work.

However, at the stage of watching only this work, it's hard to say that she has fully emerged as a character yet.

I understand that it leads to the future.

But what she was responsible for within this work is a bit vague.

Frank is the same.

Will he continue to be involved with Peter?

Is this a one-time alliance?

Is he someone who stops Peter?

Or is he a mirror for Peter to confirm his own precariousness?

There are many roles that can be considered.

It is conceivable, but it is not fully decided within the movie.

Whether you take this ambiguity as "anticipation for the next installment" or "failure to fully explain in this work."

That will likely depend on the viewer.

I lean slightly toward the latter.

Lack of explanation and room for speculation are different things.

This movie is entirely for fans.

I would not recommend it to the average person.

However, if the goal is to get fans talking after watching it, it is quite successful.

Why was he frank?

Was the treatment of Hulk correct?

How will Jean be involved in the future?

Where does the connection to X-MEN begin?

Is there really nothing left for MJ and Ned?

Where is Peter's living money coming from?

Topics will come up endlessly.

If fans start talking to each other, it will likely get quite lively.

There are characters like Yelena whose roles can be read.

Even so, lack of explanation and room for speculation are different things.

Speculation is when the answer is hidden within the work, and having to research outside the work just to understand the premise is preparation.

This work is walking that line quite dangerously.

Even if you miss the cameos, you can still understand the story.

If you learn about them later, you can enjoy it all over again.

That is how fan service should be in the first place.

However, in this work, characters and settings that you don't understand are at the center of the main plot.

The audience is forced to watch characters being treated as important without knowing who they are.

This is tough for first-time viewers.

It's not a question of whether it's for children or adults.

It's a question of whether there is enough explanation.

Even I, an MCU fanatic, am left behind.

At that point, it's a very narrow entry point.

I wouldn't recommend it to the average person.

The action is the best yet.

The story is also the best yet.

The themes are the deepest they have ever been.

As a Tom Holland film, I think it is undoubtedly the greatest masterpiece.

Even so, it is not a movie I can recommend to everyone.

Rather, I think it is a movie for those who have followed the series for a long time to talk about with someone after watching it.

If the goal was to get fans to debate with each other, then it is a success.

Who was that person?

What does that setting lead to?

Why did they bring out the Hulk there?

Why was it the Punisher instead of Daredevil?

The more I talk about it, the more other points of contention arise.

In that sense, it is also a very MCU-like work.

Rather than concluding as a standalone film, it functions as an intersection of a massive world.

However, intersections need signs.

This film added too many roads and forgot to put up the signs.

Those who know can proceed.

Those who don't know won't know which way to go.

It was interesting.

But, it bothers me.

It was good.

But, I am not convinced.

Including this slightly twisted feeling, at this moment, it is 8 points.

And, as for the ending of the dubbed version, it is 0 points.

It pulls the work back to reality with the very last song, undoing what it had built up.

That, I simply cannot accept.

Next week, I will watch the subtitled version.

The one I should have watched from the beginning.

I wonder how the impression of the characters will change with subtitles.

How will the temperature of the dialogue change?

Will the parts that felt lacking in explanation be filled in on a second viewing?

Or will it still feel abrupt even after understanding it?

And above all, will I be allowed to stay in the world of the film until the very end?

After watching the subtitled version, will these eight points improve?

Or will the sense of discomfort regarding the lack of explanation become even stronger?

At that time, I think I will write about it again.

*Factual information has been corrected by cross-referencing publicly available information and multiple reviews as of August 2, 2026.

Postscript
Is Jean Grey someone who should be brought into Earth-616 at this timing? Is she the one from Earth-10005?

Postscript 2
I watched it again with subtitles.
Once again, Frank is a sturdy guy.
The ending was definitely better with subtitles, wasn't it?

If you'd like, please take a look at the following as well.