Professor Layton and The Eternal Diva is a 2009 animated film based on the characters of the Nintendo DS game series. Chronologically, it takes place between the games Professor Layton and The Last Specter and Professor Layton and The Miracle Mask. It's available in an English audio or in Japanese with English subtitles.

The story follows Professor Hershel Layton along with his assistant, Emmy Altava, and his apprentice, Luke Triton. They are invited to an opera performance, the lyrics of which contain hidden meaning about the lost civilization of Ambrosia. Immediately after the performance is complete, a mysterious stranger informs the audience that they are to take part in a game -- a series of puzzles -- and if they refuse or get the answer wrong, there will be serious consequences.

The animation in this film is lovely, with all of the characters remaining very true to their game counterparts. Additionally, the mystery and puzzle-solving aspects of the series are integrated into the film very well. Even though you don't have a game system in your hands, the film presents each new puzzle in such a way that the audience feels equally involved in trying to find the subsequent answer. It's quite fun to see if you can get there before the characters do.

If you enjoy the game series, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't enjoy this. The spirit remains true and it's neither too childish nor too slow-paced. It's very appropriate for people of all ages, and the story is accessible enough that you could enjoy it without having any knowledge of the games before hand.

The film is unrated and has a running time of 99 minutes.