This is the one that makes you re-live the Makoto and Haru fight on the beach with the sound of the surf doing half the emotional damage. It's a recap, and it knows it: roughly eighty percent is footage you already own, weighted hard toward Eternal Summer with season one reduced to a passing nod. But the new material is aimed straight at the soft part of your chest, chiefly the montage of Haru and Makoto meeting as kids, plus High Speed! Starting Days faces drifting through the edges like the franchise finally admitting all of this was one continuous story. Haru's whole 'I only swim free' stubbornness lands differently when you watch it compressed, because the future panic and the relay arrive back to back. Go in for the warm and fuzzy, come out wanting season three immediately. That's the entire point.

The first part of the Timeless Medley recap films, this movie retells mostly Eternal Summer with some of the first season, centered on Haru and the Iwatobi team. Having made peace with his rival Rin Matsuoka, Haruka has rebuilt their friendship, and both want to race each other once more. Alongside Makoto, Rei and Nagisa, he trains for the coming tournaments, with the group set on giving everything and winning together, while Rin commits to the same goal at Samezuka Academy. As graduation approaches for the seniors, Rin has settled on his future, but Haruka and Makoto are still unsure and feel the weight of choosing a direction. The film also adds scenes not shown before and brief appearances by characters from High Speed.