Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike PartnersSource: Shochiku Co., Ltd. Official Site: liz-bluebird.com (Japan)
A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE
Shochiku Co. has provided SciFi Japan with information and images for the anime feature film, LIZ AND THE BLUE BIRD (??????, Liz to Aoi Tori). Directed by Naoko Yamada (A SILENT VOICE), the film is part of the SOUND! EUPHONIUM (??! ???????, Hibike! Yuufoniamu) anime franchise based on the novels by Ayano Takeda. STORY She’s a Blue Bird. She is only happy when flying freely in the sky. But I was afraid of being left behind, alone. So I trapped her in a cage and pretended not to notice. Mizore Yoroizuka plays the oboe and Nozomi Kasaki plays the flute in Kita Uji High School’s concert band. As seniors, this will be their last competition together. The selected piece “Liz and the Blue Bird” features a solo for the oboe and flute. “This piece reminds me of us,” Nozomi says cheerfully, enjoying the solo, while Nozomi’s happiness is tinged with dread of the inevitable day when they must part. They’re supposed to be “best friends” but the oboe and flute solo sounds disjointed, as if underscoring a growing distance between them. Talk of college creates a small rift in their relationship, as the story evolves to reveal a shocking and emotional conclusion.
Key art courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda, TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Theatrical poster courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda, TAKARAJIMASHA/ Hibike PartnersCREDITS Release Date: April 21, 2018 (Nationwide Roadshow) Running Time: 90 Minutes Cast Mizore Yoroizuka: Atsumi Tanezaki Nozomi Kasaki: Nao Tôyama Natsuki Nakagawa: Konomi Fujimura Liz: Miyu Honda Yuko Yoshikawa: Yuri Yamaoka Ririka Kenzaki: Shiori Sugiura Kumiko Omae: Tomoyo Kurosawa Hazuki Kato: Ayaka Asai Sapphire "Midori" Kawashima: Moe Toyota Reina Kosaka: Chika Anzai Satomi Niiyama: Houko Kuwashima Masahiro Hashimoto: Yuichi Nakamura Noboru Taki: Takahiro Sakurai Staff Director: Naoko Yamada Original Story: Sound! Euphonium by Ayano Takeda (Published by Takarajimasha Bunko) Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida Character Design: Futoshi Nishiya Art Director: Mutsuo Shinohara Color Design: Naomi Ishida Musical Instrument Setting: Hiroyuki Takahashi Director of Photography: Kazuya Takao 3D Director: Tetsuro Umezu Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka Music: Kensuke Ushio Music Production: Lantis Music Production Cooperation: Senzoku Gakuen College of Music Brass Band Supervision: Masahiro Owada Production Company: Hibike Partners Production Studio: Kyoto Animation Distributor: Shochiku World Sales: Pony Canyon © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Flautist Nozomi Kasaki. Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Oboist Mizore Yoroizuka. Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Image courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners
Logo courtesy of Shochiku. © Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike PartnersAbout Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Shochiku traces its origins to 1895 when Takejiro Otani presented his first stage play. They also produced the first color motion picture in Japan, and have expanded into TV dramas, video contents, Kabuki presentation, theater operations, and real estate. The company has become a symbol of enduring tradition as the exclusive promoter of the Kabuki theater in Japan as well as widely known as the creator of the world’s longest-running feature film series TORA-SAN. The company is making all possible efforts to develop business in various fields, including multimedia and co-productions, across generation, national, and cultural borders.