by I participated in the 1st Niigata International Animation Film Festival from March 18 to 21st. There was a novelty in judging feature films from all over the world with Director Mamoru Oshii as chairman of the judging committee. As the main speaker, I could only see a few screenings, but I met many people I knew and had a great time. With most people, it was also precious because it was the first time in about three years since the corona disaster.
On the way home, I was slightly surprised by the taxi heading to Niigata Station. While talking to an elderly veteran driver, he told me this exciting story when he learned I was participating in an animation film festival.
“I also saw an animated movie recently. It’s ‘BLUE GIANT. ‘ No, it was amazing. I was surprised. It had the same punchline as mine, and although I felt like I would fail, I was impressed that it had reached such a general audience. It is also convincing that it has been a long run since its release on February 17
I also agree with the impression that it is “amazing.” There is a moment when I am at a loss for words amidst the euphoria brought about by the unity of the climax performance and the animation expression. There are no surprises in the hierarchy of the story and composition because it is within the scope of expectations, such as “Here it will come like this.” Of course, it is a central premise that the performance is wonderful.
For a long time, every time a “genius-like musician” appeared in a “musical manga,” I thought, “If I make it into an anime, I have to listen to that kind of performance.” There is also a history of overcoming such difficulties. “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” and “Nodame Cantabile” overcame complex problems by recording excellent music in advance and synchronizing the performers’ movements. It is easy to place “BLUE GIANT” in that context.
However, that alone is not sufficient as a reason for this “surprise” to occur. I can’t help but feel that I have renewed the limits of existing “music stuff.” Then, is there something new in visual expression? The trouble is, if you look at it alone, it’s different. The direction chosen for each cut needs to be more cohesive, ignoring the unity of style and quality. It shows the movement of the camera work, the music’s passion with color and light effects, and the groove and breathing of the players playing.
There is a possibility that this feeling of improvisation with the right person in the right place was suitable for jazz performances. I wondered if the fluctuations in the interrelationships between sound, light, and movement created a high-order reverberation that made the audience’s hearts resonate. I thought a lot after watching it, but I realized that even if I disassembled the elements one by one, this would not work. This is a failure of verbalization. However, by glimpsing new horizons, I was convinced it was a comfortable defeat and a lingering impression.
Since I interviewed director Joe Tachikawa for “Death Billiards” (Agency for Cultural Affairs young animator support project “Anime Mirai 2013”), I have a sense of closeness to my experience as an assistant director for Satoshi Kon. I was outstanding. In fact, “Detective Conan Zero Enforcer” (18) lifted the long-term series to the next stage, and “Detective Conan Black Iron Shadow” (currently open to the public) has broken through the 10 billion yen box office. It has become one of the directors to keep an eye on.
When asked about my impression of “BLUE GIANT, “I try to say, “This is a type of work I have never seen before.” When you watch a lot of anime for this long, there is a certain regulation in whether it is amazing. However, if the regulation is violated or the regulation itself is rewritten, you will be naked and fight. It’s rather fun. And surprisingly, another similar movie is coming out soon. That is “THE FIRST SLAM DUNK” (released on December 3, 202December 3long run).
The original author, Takehiko Inoue, directed and wrote the script and changed key points in the 3DCG, breaking through existing expression techniques. For many years, everyone dreamed of creating an animation that would move around without breaking down while retaining the design of the original manga. However, it broke through. Therefore, the familiar feeling was that “this is a type of work that I have never seen before.”
And when you put the two works side by side, you can see another commonality. The result of “BLUE GIANT” is positioned as “animation redefines the physiological sensation and excitement when listening to music, and has acquired a higher level of artistry. ” “THE FIRST SLAM DUNK” replaces “music” with “sports games.” There is a commonality beyond superficial genres.
As a result of seeing the latter’s impressions on SNS, I also learned something interesting. She gets excited when he watches the basketball game live. However, because it is a live broadcast, the camera does not necessarily capture the necessary action at the required time.
The same is accurate at the stadium. That’s why spectators learn the rules of basketball, step on the number of matches, accumulate experience points, and enjoy the game while supplementing what they couldn’t see in their minds. However, this movie accurately shows all the necessary parts, so it is said that literacy has increased.
One of the “effects of animation” he emphasizes in his book is “renewal of the world view.” The anime world is a reconstruction of reality that has been decomposed and reconstructed by some means or philosophy. Therefore, the existing “how to see the world” is updated by looking at it. This principle was thought to be invoked in both works for “appreciation of arts and sports.”
When I was thinking, “It’s hard for the judges to select this year’s film
