Children of the Sea review: A fusion of profound themes and beautiful visuals

"Children of the Sea": A magnificent story depicting the mysteries of life and human bonds

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

June 7, 2019 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho Video Division

■Frequencies

111 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Daisuke Igarashi

■ Director

Ayumu Watanabe

■ Production

Animation Production: STUDIO4℃

■Works

©2019 Daisuke Igarashi, Shogakukan / "Children of the Sea" Production Committee

■ Story

Ruka, a middle school student who has difficulty expressing her feelings in words, gets into trouble with a teammate at a club on the first day of summer vacation. Having distanced herself from her mother, she finds herself feeling lost at school and at home during the long summer. When Ruka visits the aquarium where her father works and stands in front of a large tank filled with memories of her parents, she meets a mysterious boy named Umi and his brother Sora, who are swimming with the fish in front of her.

Ruka's father said, "They were raised by dugongs."

The bright and innocent "sea" and the "sky" that hides a frightening quality that seems to see through everything. As if guided by them, Ruka comes into contact with a mysterious world she has never seen before. The encounter between the three people is the catalyst for various phenomena to occur on Earth. After a brilliant comet falls from the night sky into the sea, all the creatures in the sea begin to migrate to Japan. Then even a giant humpback whale appears, and with its "song" begins to tell the creatures in the sea that "the main event of the festival is approaching."

Someone who knows that "the sea and the sky" are related to supernatural phenomena tries to use them. Oceanographers Jim and Anglade protect the two. Can these people, each with their own intertwined motives, solve the mystery of life? Where did "the sea and the sky" come from, and what is "the real thing"? This is the story of life that Ruka touched.

■Explanation

Manga artist Igarashi Daisuke continues to captivate readers with his unique use of lines and his drawing expressions. His first feature-length work, "Children of the Sea" (published by Shogakukan IKKICOMIX), is a masterpiece that sublimates a summer encounter between a "14-year-old girl" and "two brothers raised by dugongs" into entertainment through overwhelming drawing skills and a mysterious story development, based on a reverence for the natural world. In the main part of the movie, the "tranquility and wildness felt in the sea" and "smell of the sea" of the original work are packed into "images" and "music" that overflow from the screen, engulfing all viewers. STUDIO4℃, which has attracted attention from around the world for its high-edge visual expressions such as the movie "Tekkonkinkreet", is the latest work by STUDIO4℃, which has gathered the world's greatest treasures in the world of Japanese animation, and is a "story of ocean adventure".

The main cast includes Mana Ashida, who made her name known to the public in the TV drama "Mother" and has since appeared in Hollywood productions, and has recently been entrusted with the role of the youngest narrator in the TV series "Manpuku," and continues to expand her field of activity as an actress; Yoa Ishibashi, who dubbed the Japanese version of the main character Miguel in the movie "Coco" and continues to attract attention for her beautiful voice; Seishu Urakami, who played the role of Daisuke, the eldest son of Sanada Yukimura, in the NHK historical drama "Sanadamaru" and is also active on stage; and Win Morisaki, whose talent was discovered by director Steven Spielberg and who was selected to play the role of young Toshiro in the movie "Ready Player One." This makes for a life-size cast that is close to the age of the characters in the movie. Supporting them are talented actors such as Goro Inagaki, Yu Aoi, Toru Watanabe, Min Tanaka, and Junko Fuji, who are able to freely resonate with each other's personalities.

The music is handled by Joe Hisaishi, a master of film music who is now a world-renowned composer not only in Japan but also around the world. This will be his first time working on a feature-length animated film in six years, since Studio Ghibli's "The Wind Rises" and "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya." His "sound," which adds color to the dangerously dense and profound world of the work, can be said to be another face of the film.

■Cast

・Ruka Ankai/Mana Ashida・Umi/Hiyori Ishibashi・Sora/Seishu Uragami・Gym/Min Tanaka・Anglade/Win Morisaki

■ Main staff

Director: Ayumu Watanabe, Character design: Kenichi Konishi, Chief animation director: Kenichi Konishi, Director: Kenichi Konishi, Music: Joe Hisaishi, Art director: Shinji Kimura, CGI director: Kenichiro Akimoto, Color design: Miyuki Ito, Sound director: Koji Kasamatsu, Producer: Eiko Tanaka

■ Main Characters

Ankai Ruka is a second-year junior high school student who has trouble expressing her feelings at school. Her father is separated from her and she keeps a distance from her mother, with whom she lives.
·sea
He was rescued off the coast of the Philippines 10 years ago and is now staying at the aquarium where Ruka's father works. He meets Ruka by chance and becomes curious about her.
He is said to have been raised by a dugong along with Sora and Umi. He grew up as his older brother, and cooperates with Jim to find out the secret of his birth.
Jim is a marine biologist who protects and studies the two in order to uncover the mysteries of the sea and the sky.
Anglade is a young, brilliant oceanographer. He was once Jim's partner, but now pursues the mysteries of the "sea" and "sky" in a different capacity.

■ Theme songs and music

・TM
・Ghost of the Sea・Lyrics by Kenshi Yonezu・Composition by Kenshi Yonezu・Singer by Kenshi Yonezu

■ Review

"Children of the Sea" is an animated film based on the original work by Daisuke Igarashi, and its epic story and beautiful visuals have the power to draw the audience in. Director Ayumu Watanabe has made the most of the mysterious atmosphere of the original work and used the technical capabilities of STUDIO4℃ to depict the beauty and terror of the sea. In particular, the underwater scenes have an exquisite balance of CGI and hand-drawn, making you feel as if you are in the sea.

The story begins from the perspective of a junior high school student named Ruka. She has difficulty expressing her feelings and is troubled by her relationships with her family and friends. One day she meets two brothers, Umi and Sora, at an aquarium, who become people who will greatly change her life. The two mysterious boys were raised by dugongs, and together with Ruka, they become embroiled in mysterious phenomena. The relationship between these three is at the heart of the story and leaves a deep impression on the audience.

The film also questions the relationship between nature and humans by depicting the mysteries of life and the bonds between humans. The presence of the oceanographers Jim and Anglade depicts a scene where science, faith, and human desires intersect, adding depth to the story. In particular, the contrast between Jim and Anglade symbolizes the difference between a scientific approach and a spiritual approach, providing an element of thought to the audience.

Music is also an important element of the film, and Joe Hisaishi's beautiful melodies liven up the story. In particular, the powerful voice of Kenshi Yonezu, who sings the theme song "Ghost of the Sea," resonates as if symbolizing the theme of the film. This song, which plays at the end of the film, leaves a deep impression on the audience.

The cast is also superb, especially Ashida Mana who plays Ruka, whose delicate acting supports the story. Ishibashi Yoa who plays Umi and Urakami Seishu who plays Sora also bring out the charm of their characters and leave a strong impression on the audience. Furthermore, Tanaka Min who plays Jim and Morisaki Win who plays Anglade add depth to the story by playing deep characters.

■Recommendation

"Children of the Sea" is a work that deeply depicts the relationship between nature and humans, and is highly recommended for those who want to feel the mystery of life and the bond between humans. It is also recommended for those who want to enjoy beautiful visuals and music. In particular, it is a must-see for those who want to enjoy the beauty of the sea scenes and CGI. In addition, it is a work that will satisfy fans of Daisuke Igarashi's original work and fans of STUDIO4℃.

Watching this movie with your family and friends will leave a deeper impression on you. It's also a great opportunity to teach children about the beauty and terror of nature. Be sure to enjoy it on the big screen and in high quality at the theater.