Anime movie released in February 2023, is an adaptation of a popular manga. It depicts the journey of a young man aspiring to become a top jazz saxophone player.
The original manga, "BLUE GIANT" (May 2013 to August 2016, 10 volumes), showcases the protagonist's achievements after moving from Sendai to Tokyo. In "BLUE GIANT SUPREME" (September 2016 to April 2020, 11 volumes), the story unfolds when he ventures alone to Germany. "BLUE GIANT EXPLORER" (May 2020 to May 2023) portrays his success in the United States, particularly in Seattle. Finally, "BLUE GIANT MOMENTUM" depicts his life in New York after relocating.
This film focuses on a segment of the original manga "BLUE GIANT." Adapting works that involve music, such as manga or novels, into visual media is challenging. However, in this production, jazz pianist Uehara Hiromi takes charge of the entire musical aspect, including musical contributions and piano performances.
The saxophone part for the main character is performed by Baba Tomoaki, while Ishiwaka Shun handles the drum part.
The anime production process is unique that comes from the respect around music. Instead of adding music after storyboarding and animation, the three musicians perform live-like renditions, and the animation is made based on that recorded music.
Watching the film provides a sense of immersion, akin to experiencing a powerful music video during live scenes.
On the other hand, scenes outside the final live performance, such as daily life scene and others, might seem relatively modest in terms of animation.
However, considering this as a buildup leading to the grand finale, it doesn't pose any issues and remains enjoyable.
Production : NUT, directeor : Tachikawa Yuzuru, screenplay: NUMBER 8, music : Uehara Hiromi. The voice cast includes Yamada Yuki, MAmiya Shotaro, Okayama Amane, Tochi Hiroki, Kinoshita Sayaka, and others.
