Review of the film "Bungaku Shojo": A moving story and beautiful images

The appeal and evaluation of "Literary Girl"

Introduction

The theatrical version of "Bungaku Shoujo - Gekijouban "Bungaku Shoujo"", which was released on May 1, 2010, is an anime movie based on the light novel series "Bungaku Shoujo" by Nomura Mizuki. It was directed by Tada Shunsuke, animated by Production IG, and distributed by Clockworks. This work is loved by many fans as a moving story that combines the deep themes of the original with beautiful visuals.

story

Inoue Kokoro, a member of the Literature Club, hoped for a peaceful life without any incident. However, she was spending her days peacefully, despite being manipulated by Amano Touko, an eccentric senior who calls herself the "Literary Girl" and eats stories. One day, she happens to meet her childhood friend Asakura Miu. Kokoro is at the mercy of Miu's mysterious words and actions. What is "Campanella's wish" that she asks her? A girl trapped in the darkness of her past, and a boy who tries to confront the darkness of his past. The two are lost on which path to follow, frozen and hurting each other, but Touko, the "Literary Girl," begins to speak to them kindly and warmly. This is a story that explores what "true happiness" awaits them.

Commentary

The story begins when Kokoro, a newly enrolled freshman, meets a female student named Touko reading a book beneath a large magnolia tree in full bloom with white flowers. Touko surprises Kokoro by tearing out pages from the book and starting to eat them, an unusual behavior. She is then forced to join the Literature Club, and when a letter arrives in the "Love Advice Post" for Touko's "snack", the story takes a sudden turn and develops into a mysterious school tale. The stories of various characters are woven around Touko and Kokororo.

This work, which was said to be difficult to visualize due to its transparency, such as the inner conflicts of boys and girls who evoke adolescence and dark memories, has finally been animated by Production IG. This work is the culmination of the "Bungaku Shojo" series so far and is the core of "Bungaku Shojo Project Memoir." Please enjoy Project Memoir, which is being developed in various media.

cast

• Touko Amano: Kana Hanazawa
• Inoue Koyo: Irino Miyu
• Nanase Kotobuki: Nana Mizuki
• Ryuto Sakurai: Mamoru Miyano
• A poem by Akutagawa: Daisuke Ono
• Himekura Maki: Ito Shizuka
• Chiaki Takeda: Aki Toyosaki
• Mori-chan: Asami Shimoda
• Asakura Miu: Hirano Aya

Main Staff

• Original work: Nomura Mizuki "Literary Girl" series (Famitsu Bunko/Enterbrain)
• Director: Shunsuke Tada
• Assistant Director: Shinpei Esaki
• Character design: Miho Takeoka
• Screenplay: Yuka Yamada
• Character design and chief animation director: Matsumoto Keita
• Design works: Keiko Ota
• Storyboard: Shinsaku Sasaki, Ichiro Kawasaki, Kanta Kamei, Shunsuke Tada
• Directed by: Shunsuke Tada, Masaru Yasukawa, Itsuro Kawasaki
• Animation directors: Kazuya Kise, Yosuke Okuda, Yuko Yoshida, Kanami Sekiguchi, Kyohei Tezuka, Keiichi Sano
• Art director: Michie Suzuki
• Art setting: Yoshinori Shiozawa, Tomoyasu Fujise
• Color design: Yuko Tsumori
• Director of photography: Hiroji Tanaka
• Edited by: Junichi Uematsu
• Music: Masumi Ito
• Sound Director: Satoshi Nakajima
• Producers: Kenta Suzuki, Yuichiro Takabatake, Takeshi Hashimoto, Katsumi Koike, Masahito Arinaga
• Distributor: Clockworks
• Animation production: Production IG
• Produced by: "Bungaku Shojo" Production Committee (Enterbrain, Pony Canyon, TO Entertainment, Lantis, Kadokawa Contents Gate)

Main Characters

• Touko Amano: The head of the Literature Club, she loves stories and literature so much that she actually eats them. She calls herself a "literature girl." After witnessing Kokoro eating a book, she drags him into the Literature Club and has him write a three-topic story as a "snack."
• Inoue Kokoro: A second-year student at Seijo Academy who wants to live a peaceful life. When she was in middle school, she was temporarily withdrawn due to a certain trauma. After discovering Touko's secret, she now spends her days in the literature club writing Touko's "Oyatsu" (snacks).
• Nanase Kotobuki: A beautiful classmate of Kokoro's. She has a crush on Kokoro, but due to her clumsy personality, she is unable to communicate well with him, often stumbling over her words and becoming blunt. With the support of her friends, she tries to take a step forward, but...
• Sakurai Ryuto: Touko's younger brother. He says he is a "mental masochist" and loves battle scenes.
• Akutagawa Isshi: A second-year student at Seijo Academy and a member of the archery club. He is a classmate of Kokoro and also her closest friend. Although he is taciturn, he has a calm and sincere personality. His mother is hospitalized, and he visits her frequently.
• Takeda Chiaki: A junior of Touko and Kokoha, and a first-year student at Seijo Academy. A small and lively girl who behaves as innocently as a puppy, she sometimes shows her true colors and makes slightly dark remarks towards Kokoha.
• Mori-chan: A classmate of Kokoro and Nanase, and Nanase's best friend. A cheerful, bright and kind girl, she can also be a bit of a busybody.
• Asakura Miu: A childhood friend of Kokoro, she was always with him until middle school. Her dream was to become a novelist, and she would always tell Kokoro the stories she wrote, but after a certain incident she disappeared from Kokoro's sight.

Related Titles

• Literary Girl Today's Snack First Love
• Literary Girl Memoir I Prelude of the Dreaming Girl
• Literary Girl Memoirs II Requiem of an Angel Dancing in the Sky
• Literary Girl Memoirs III: Rhapsody of a Maiden in Love

Theme songs and music

• TM1
• Distant Days
• Lyricist: riya
• Composer: Hajime Kikuchi
• Arrangement: Hajime Kikuchi
• Sung by: eufonius

Evaluation and Impressions

"Bungaku Shoujo" faithfully reproduces the deep themes of the original work while drawing the audience in with the beautiful visuals and music that only animation can provide. In particular, the performance of Hanazawa Kana, who plays Amano Touko, perfectly expresses the character of Touko, and her dialogue with Irino Miyu, who plays Kokoha, is also superb. The performances of Mizuki Nana, who plays Kotobuki Nanase, and Hirano Aya, who plays Asakura Miu, are also impressive, portraying the emotions of each character in depth.

The story unfolds with the mysterious atmosphere of the original work, but with the speed and tension that only a film can provide, so the audience will not tire of it. In particular, the scenes depicting the dark pasts of Kokoha and Miu are deeply moving with the power of visual expression and music. Furthermore, Touko's presence as a "literary girl" is an important element that supports the entire story, and through her narration, we can watch over the growth of Kokoha and Miu.

Visually, Production IG's technical capabilities are fully displayed, with the beauty of the scene under the magnolia tree and the scene where Touko eats the book being particularly noteworthy. The color design and art setting are also very sophisticated, enhancing the atmosphere of the story. The music also adds depth to the story with the beautiful melodies of Masumi Ito, and the theme song "Haruka na Hibi" is a particularly touching masterpiece.

Recommended points

Here are some reasons why I recommend this work:

• While faithfully recreating the deep themes of the original work, the film draws audiences in with the beautiful visuals and music that only animation can offer.
• Kana Hanazawa's performance as Amano Touko perfectly expresses the character of Touko.
• The scenes depicting the dark pasts of Kokoroha and Miu are deeply moving through the power of visual expression and music.
• Beautiful footage that fully demonstrates the technical capabilities of Production IG
• The beautiful music by Masumi Ito and the theme song "Haruka na Hibi" touch the heart.

Conclusion

"Gekijouban "Bungaku Shoujo"" is a moving story that combines the deep themes of the original work with beautiful visuals. In particular, the acting that portrays the characters' emotions in depth, the visuals that fully demonstrate Production IG's technical skills, and Masumi Ito's beautiful music add depth to the story. This work is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but for anyone who seeks beautiful animation and a deep story. Please come and experience the excitement at the theater.