Liz and the Blue Bird: A spin-off of the Euphonium series

"Liz and the Blue Bird": A moving story depicting the transience and beauty of youth

■Overview of the work

Liz and the Blue Bird is an animated film based on Ayano Takeda's light novel Sound! Euphonium: Kitauji High School Concert Band, Haran no Dai-ni Gakushou. It was released on April 21, 2018 and distributed by Shochiku. Directed by Naoko Yamada and produced by Kyoto Animation, the film is a 90-minute, one-episode film. The film is a spin-off of the Euphonium series, and while it continues the worldview of the original work, it focuses on the story of two girls, Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki.

■ Story

"Liz and the Blue Bird" is a work that depicts a beautiful moment in the life of a young girl, which is both fleeting and shining with strength. The story revolves around two high school seniors, Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki. Mizore plays the oboe and Nozomi plays the flute, and both are girls with top-class musical skills who are former members of Minami Junior High School's brass band. Through the fairy tale "Liz and the Blue Bird," the story depicts how they come to terms with each other's inner selves and grow.

■Explanation

"Liz and the Blue Bird" is based on Ayano Takeda's novel "Sound! Euphonium: Kitauji High School Concert Band, Stormy Second Movement," which depicts the youth of high school students. This work is a moving story that captures a fleeting and beautiful moment of two girls, Mizore and Nozomi. It depicts the envy and despair that everyone has felt, and the love that encompasses them, making it a work that will "resonate" in your heart this spring.

■Cast

The cast of this film is as follows:

• Yoroizuka Mizore: Atsumi Tanezaki
• Nozomi Kasaki: Nao Toyama
• Liz Girl: Honda Miyu
• Natsuki Nakagawa: Fujimura drumming beauty
• Yuko Yoshikawa: Yuri Yamaoka
• Kenzaki Ririka: Sugiura Shiori
• Kumiko Oumae: Tomoyo Kurosawa
• Hazuki Kato: Ayaka Asai
• Kawashima Green: Toyoda Moe
• Reina Takasaka: Chika Anzai
• Satomi Niyama: Houko Kuwashima
• Masahiro Hashimoto: Yuichi Nakamura
• Noboru Waterfall: Takahiro Sakurai

■ Main staff

The main staff of this work are as follows:

• Original author: Ayano Takeda
• Director: Naoko Yamada
• Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida
• Character design: Nishiya Taishi
• Instrument settings: Hiroyuki Takahashi
• Color design: Naomi Ishida
• Art director: Mutsuo Shinohara
• 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
• Wind orchestra supervision: Masahiro Owada
• Animation Production: Kyoto Animation
• Production: Sound! Production Committee
• Distributor: Shochiku

■ Main Characters

The main characters of this work are as follows:

• Yoroizuka Mizore: A third-year high school student. Oboe player. She is a member of the Minami Junior High School brass band, a powerful school in the city, and has top-class performance skills.
• Nozomi Kasaki: A third-year high school student. She plays the flute. Like Mizore, she was a member of the Minami Junior High School brass band. Although she quit in her first year, she returned in the summer of her second year.
• Liz: A character from the fairy tale "Liz and the Blue Bird." After losing her parents, she lives alone in a house near a lake.
• Girl: A character from the fairy tale "Liz and the Blue Bird." A mysterious girl with blue hair.

■ Theme songs and music

The theme song for this film is "Songbirds" by Homecomings. The song features a distinctive melody and lyrics that symbolize the transience and beauty of youth, which is the theme of the film, and serves to further deepen the emotional impact of the story.

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Liz and the Blue Bird" captivated many audiences with its beautiful visuals and delicate storytelling. In particular, director Naoko Yamada's portrayal of the subtle emotions of the girls and Kyoto Animation's meticulous animation have been highly praised. The film has also been praised for faithfully recreating the worldview of the original work while developing the story from a new perspective.

The appeal of this film lies above all in the relationship between Mizore and Nozomi. The process in which the two girls come to understand each other's inner thoughts and grow deeply moves the audience. In addition, the metaphors depicted through the fairy tale "Liz and the Blue Bird" add depth to the story and make the audience think.

Another appealing feature of this work is the musical element. The brass band scenes are depicted realistically, allowing you to enjoy the sound of the instruments and the performance with both your eyes and your ears. In particular, the beautiful harmony between the oboe and flute plays a part in further enhancing the moving story.

■ Recommendation points

"Liz and the Blue Bird" is a moving story that depicts the transience and beauty of youth. Here are some reasons why I highly recommend it:

• Beautiful visuals and sensitive storytelling: Kyoto Animation's meticulous animation and direction by Naoko Yamada capture the nuances of girls' emotions.
• Deep Metaphors: The metaphors portrayed throughout the fairy tale "Liz and the Blue Bird" add depth to the story and make the audience think.
• Realistic brass band scenes: The brass band scenes are depicted realistically, allowing you to enjoy the sound of the instruments and the atmosphere of the performance both visually and aurally.
• The moving theme song, "Songbirds" by Homecomings, features a melody and lyrics that symbolize the theme of the film, further enhancing the emotional impact of the story.

■ Related works

"Liz and the Blue Bird" is a spin-off of the Euphonium series. You can also enjoy the following related works:

• "Sound! Euphonium": An anime series based on the original novel, it depicts the youthful days of the Kitauji High School brass band.
• "Sound! Euphonium 2": The sequel to the series, it depicts the struggles of a brass band aiming to compete in the national tournament.
• "Sound! Euphonium the Movie": A compilation of the anime series, depicting the growth and friendship of the brass band members.

■ Summary

"Liz and the Blue Bird" is a moving story that depicts the transience and beauty of youth. It is a work with many charms, including beautiful images, delicate storytelling, deep metaphors, realistic brass band scenes, and a moving theme song. It is recommended not only for fans of the Euphonium series, but also for those who like youth films and animated films. Be sure to watch this work that will "resonate" with you this spring.