The appeal and reputation of the Given series: the intersection of music and youth

Given - A beautiful story of youth and music

"Given" is an anime series based on the popular BL manga by Kizu Natsuki, which aired from July 12 to September 20, 2019. It also attracted attention as the first BL manga to be adapted into an anime in the Noitamina slot, and depicts deep themes of music and love through a youthful band story. In this article, we will take a closer look at the appeal of "Given," the background to its production, details about the characters, and subsequent developments.

story

The story of "Given" begins when Uenoyama Ritsuka, a high school student who was losing his passion for music, happens to encounter Sato Mafuyu's singing voice and is captivated by it. Ritsuka loves playing the guitar, but his passion for it fades away in the course of his daily life. However, the moment he hears Mafuyu's singing voice, his heart is stirred by music once again. The story begins with the two of them meeting, and gradually develops into the formation of the band "Given," with other members getting involved.

The relationship between Ritsuka and Mafuyu deepens through music, but at the same time, their emotional wounds and past traumas are also brought to light. Ritsuka is attracted to Mafuyu's singing voice, but is troubled by her inability to express her own emotions. Meanwhile, Mafuyu has also lived her life suppressing her own emotions in the past. As the distance between the two of them closes, their music also evolves.

Commentary

"Given" is based on a BL manga by Kizu Natsuki, which is currently being serialized in Shinshokan's "Cheri+". The original work depicts deep themes of music and love through a youthful band story, and the anime adaptation has further expanded the worldview. The director is Yamaguchi Hikaru, the series composition is Ayana Yuniko, the character design is Osawa Mina, and the animation is handled by Lerche.

This work also attracted attention as it was the first time a BL comic was adapted into an anime for the NoitaminA slot. The NoitaminA slot is known for airing particularly high-quality late-night anime, and Given was produced to live up to those expectations. The realistic portrayal of the music scenes and the delicate emotional expressions of the characters were highly praised, and the series gained support from many viewers.

cast

The cast of "Given" is as follows:

• Sato Mafuyu - Yano Shogo
• Beginning of Summer at Kaminoyama - Yuuma Uchida
• Haruki Nakayama - Masatomo Nakazawa
• Akihiko Kaji - Takuya Eguchi
• Murata Ugetsu - Shintaro Asanuma
• Kashima Hiiragi - Imai Fumiya

In particular, the performances of Yano Shogo, who plays Sato Mafuyu, and Uchida Yuuma, who plays Uenoyama Ritsuka, were highly praised by viewers. The two voice actors carefully expressed the delicate emotions of their characters, enhancing the depth of the story. The other cast members also showed acting that made the most of their characters' individuality, portraying the realistic relationships between the band members.

Main Staff

The main staff of "Given" are as follows:

• Original author: "Given" by Kizu Natsuki (serialized in Shinshokan's "Cheri+")
• Director: Hikaru Yamaguchi
• Series Composition - Yuniko Ayana
• Character design - Mina Osawa
• Chief animation director: Mina Osawa
• Art setting - Eiko Tsunagashira
• Art director: Honda Kohei
• Color design - Dairo Kaguchi
• Director of photography - Naoki Serizawa
• Assistant Director of Photography - Sena Nakagawa
• CG Director: Tomoya Mizuno
• Edited by Rie Ito
• Sound Director: Hiromi Kikuta
• Music - Michiru
• Animation producers: Yuji Higa, Nobuto Akita
• Animation production: Lerche
• Production - Given Production Committee

Many of the staff members were particular about the realistic depiction of the music scenes and the expression of the characters' emotions. In particular, the music by Michiru gained depth as the story progressed, strongly drawing the viewers' hearts. Character designer Osawa Mina also worked on designs that made the most of the characters' individuality, enhancing the visual appeal.

Main Characters

The main characters of "Given" are as follows:

• Sato Mafuyu - Possessor of an impressive singing voice. He becomes attached to Ritsuka after Ritsuka fixes his guitar. It seems that something happened in the past that causes him to be unable to express his emotions well...
• Ritsuka Uenoyama - A guitar player with skills beyond those of a high school student. She had forgotten the passion she had when she first started playing the guitar when she met Mafuyu. She was drawn to Mafuyu's singing voice when she happened to hear it, and began to have special feelings for her.
• Haruki Nakayama - Graduate student. The oldest of the band members. Caring, like an older brother. Extremely kind-hearted.
• Akihiko Kaji - A university student. He can play not only the drums, but also the violin, guitar, and bass. He has a tough look, but he's very popular with the girls.
• Murata Ugetsu - A university student and internationally active genius violinist. He has been Akihiko's classmate since high school.
• Kashima Shu - A high school student. He seems to know something about Mafuyu and the guitar he is carrying...

Each character grows through music, despite their own backgrounds and worries. The relationship between Ritsuka and Mafuyu is particularly central to the story, and their emotional reactions move viewers deeply. The other members also use their own individual personalities to support the growth of the band Given.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode of "Given" are as follows:

• #01 - Boys in the Band (2019/07/12)
• #02 - Like Someone In Love (2019/07/19)
• #03 - Somebody Else (2019/07/26)
• #04 - Fluorescent Adolescent (2019/08/02)
• #05 - The Reason (2019/08/09)
• #06 - Creep (2019/08/16)
• #07 - Tumbling Dice (2019/08/23)
• #08 - Time Is Running Out (2019/08/30)
• #09 - Winter Stories (2019/09/06)
• #10 - Wonderwall (2019/09/13)
• #11 - Song2 (2019/09/20)

The subtitles for each episode were chosen to match the progression of the story and symbolize the emotions of the music and characters. In particular, the final episode's "Song 2" is memorable as it conveys the growth of the band "Given" and their future.

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and music for "Given" are as follows:

• OP
  • Kizuato
  • Lyricist - Atsushi
  • Composition - Atsushi
  • Arrangement - Atsushi
  • Song - Centimillimental
• ED
  • Marking
  • Lyricist - Atsushi
  • Composition - Atsushi
  • Arrangement - Atsushi
  • Song - Centimillimental
• IN
  • session
  • Period - 1, 2, 9
  • Lyricist - Atsushi
  • Composition - Atsushi
  • Arrangement - Atsushi
  • Sung by: Shogo Yano
• IN
  • Winter Story
  • Period – 9, 10
  • Lyricist - Atsushi
  • Composition - Atsushi
  • Arrangement - Atsushi
  • Sung by: Shogo Yano

The theme songs and insert songs were chosen to match the progression of the story, and express the characters' emotions and musical themes in depth. In particular, the opening song "Kizuato" and the ending song "Maru Tsuke" are sung by Centimillimental, enhancing the worldview of the story. In addition, the insert songs "Session" and "Fuyu no Hanashi" are sung by Shogo Yano, who plays Sato Mafuyu, and portray the inner thoughts of the characters.

Background

Let's also touch on the background of the production of "Given." The original author, Kizu Natsuki, is known for drawing BL manga with themes of music and romance, and "Given" was born as part of that. Given the popularity of the original work, many fans were excited when it was decided to make it into an anime.

The policy for the anime adaptation was to faithfully reproduce the worldview of the original work while pursuing the unique expression of anime. In particular, the aim was to give viewers a deep emotional response by focusing on the realistic depiction of the music scenes and the expression of the characters' emotions. As a result, "Given" has been well received not only by fans of the original work, but also by new audiences.

Evaluation and response

"Given" has been highly praised by many viewers since it was first broadcast. In particular, the realistic portrayal of the music scenes and the delicate emotional expressions of the characters were highly praised, and many viewers were moved. It was also praised as a BL work, and it became a hot topic as it was the first BL comic to be made into an anime in the Noitamina slot.

The show received a great response from viewers, with many of them posting their thoughts and opinions on "Given" on social media. In particular, the relationship between Rikka and Mafuyu and the growth of the band "Given" captured the hearts of many viewers. The realistic portrayal of the music scenes and the emotional expressions of the characters were also highly praised, drawing many viewers into the world of "Given."

Subsequent developments

The popularity of the "Given" anime series continued even after it ended in 2019. In particular, many fans were excited every time a sequel or spin-off work was announced. In 2021, the movie version of "Given" was released, once again creating a buzz.

The movie version of "Given" depicts the story after the anime series, delving deeper into the relationship between Ritsuka and Mafuyu and the growth of the band "Given." In particular, the realistic portrayal of the music scenes and the expression of the characters' emotions were highly praised and moved many viewers, even more than the anime series. In addition, new developments in the original work were announced along with the release of the movie version, further raising fans' expectations.

Recommendation

"Given" is a story about a young band with themes of music and romance that has touched many viewers. In particular, the realistic portrayal of the music scenes and the delicate emotional expressions of the characters deeply touch viewers. It has also been praised as a BL work, and it has become a hot topic as it is the first BL comic to be made into an anime in the Noitamina slot.

Here are some reasons why I recommend this work:

• Realistic portrayal of the music scene - "Given" is committed to realistic portrayal of the music scene, deeply moving the viewers. In particular, the portrayal of the growth of the band "Given" and the live performance scenes leave a strong impression on the viewers.
• Delicate emotional expression of the characters - The characters in "Given" grow through music, despite their own backgrounds and worries. In particular, the relationship between Ritsuka and Mafuyu is at the heart of the story, and their emotional movements deeply move the audience.
• Evaluation as a BL work - "Given" was also highly praised as a BL work, and was a hot topic as it was the first BL comic to be adapted into an anime in the Noitamina slot. In particular, the relationship between Rikka and Mafuyu captured the hearts of many viewers.
• Subsequent developments - The popularity of the Given anime series continued even after it ended in 2019. In particular, many fans were excited every time a sequel or spin-off work was announced. In 2021, the movie version of Given was released, once again creating a buzz.

As mentioned above, "Given" is a moving work that has touched many viewers as a youth band story with themes of music and romance. In particular, the realistic portrayal of the music scenes and the delicate emotional expressions of the characters deeply move viewers. It was also praised as a BL work, and became a hot topic as it was the first BL comic to be made into an anime in the Noitamina slot. The reasons we recommend this work include the realistic portrayal of the music scenes, the delicate emotional expressions of the characters, its praise as a BL work, and the subsequent developments. Please watch "Given" and experience the emotions for yourself.