The appeal and reviews of "HELLO WORLD": A modern youth sci-fi anime masterpiece

"HELLO WORLD" - A youthful sci-fi love story with a person from the future

■ Public Information

"HELLO WORLD" is an animated film that was released in theaters on September 20, 2019. It was distributed by Toho and is a 98-minute long film with a complete story in one episode. It is based on an original story for the anime, and was planned by Katsuhiro Takei. It is directed by Tomohiko Ito and animated by Graphinica. Copyright belongs to ©2019 "HELLO WORLD" Production Committee.

■ Story

"Three months from today, you and Ichigyo Ruri will become lovers."

A young man named Naomi (Matsuzaka Tori) suddenly appears in front of Katashige Naomi (Kitamura Takumi), a shy high school boy living in Kyoto, claiming to be from 10 years in the future. Naomi says that his classmate, Ichigyo Ruri (Hamabe Minami), will marry Naomi, but will later lose her life in an accident. "Please, lend me your strength." In order to save her, a strange buddy is born, calling the grown-up version of himself "Sensei." However, in the process, Naomi learns of Ruri's fate, Naomi's true purpose, and the great secret hidden in this real world.

This is a groundbreaking, high-speed sci-fi youth love story that will turn your world upside down.

■Explanation

Director Ito Tomohiko is a talented person who will lead the next generation of Japanese animation. He served as assistant director on "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" and "Summer Wars," and it is still fresh in our memory that he led "Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale" to a huge hit with a box office revenue of 2.5 billion yen. With a deep knowledge of the future and technology and solid directing skills, Director Ito is one of the most anticipated feature-length animations today. His latest work, "HELLO WORLD," is the screenplay of the genius Nozaki Madoka, who wrote the novel series "Babylon" and "The Right Answer Corner," and character design by Horiguchi Yukiko, who worked on "K-ON!". The work is a "new high-speed sci-fi youth love story" that is fitting for the dawn of a new era.

The production is handled by Graphinica, the studio behind "Expelled from Paradise." The voice cast is led by three of the most popular voice actors today: Kitamura Takumi, Matsuzaka Tori, and Hamabe Minami. Each is known as an animation fan, and they have shown delicate and vivid youth and romance in live-action films, so they will breathe life into the work with a sense of drama that only they can portray. The music is by 2027Sound, a never-before-seen experimental approach. This musical approach, which is truly appropriate for a new generation of animation, adds a pleasant yet vivid color to this work.

■Cast

• Naomi Katagami/Takumi Kitamura
• Katagaki Naomi / Matsuzaka Tori
• Ichigyo Ruri/Hamabe Minami
• Crow/Rie Kugimiya
• Kaneyukoji Misuzu/Haruka Fukuhara
• Eternal / Takehito Koyasu
• Xu Yiyi / Kotobuki Minako

■ Main staff

• Director: Tomohiko Ito
• Screenplay by Madoka Nozaki
• Character design: Yukiko Horiguchi
• Art Director/Kazumasa Yokokawa
• CG Director: Kazumasa Yokokawa
• 3D animation director: Hajime Yagita, Naoki Ogita
• Art Director: Takayuki Nagashima
• Art direction: Yusuke Takeda
• Color setting: Eriko Murata
• Director of photography: Yoshiki Obata
• Edited by Shigeru Nishiyama
• Sound Director: Yoshikazu Iwanami
• Produced by Minami Ichikawa and Keiji Ota
• Planning and production: Katsuhiro Takei
• Producer/Feng Nian
• Animation producers: Hiroshi Moriguchi, Keisuke Niki
• Music producer/Sayoko Narukawa

■ Main Characters

• Naomi Katashige A shy high school student living in Kyoto.
• Katagaki Naomi Katagaki Naomi, who came from the future 10 years in the future.
• Naomi Ichigyo's classmate. Library committee member.
• Kaneyukoji Misuzu is an idol of the library committee.
• Tsunehisa Senko is a professor at Kyoto University.
• Xu Yiyiqiangu's assistant.

■ Theme songs and music

• TM1
  New World Song/OKAMOTO'S
• TM2
  Yesterday song/Official Hige Dandism
• TM3
  Lost Game
  Sung by Nulbarich

■Detailed review

"HELLO WORLD" is a novel work that combines science fiction and a youthful love story. The story revolves around an encounter with oneself from the future and a battle to change one's fate. The protagonist, Katashige Naomi, is a shy and ordinary high school student, but his life changes dramatically when he meets Naomi, who comes from the future. Naomi tells Naomi that in three months, he and Ichigyo Ruri will become lovers, but Ruri will later die in an accident. Naomi begins to work with Naomi to save Ruri.

The appeal of this work lies above all in its storytelling. It depicts a dialogue with one's own self from the future and a fight to change fate, but it also portrays the bittersweetness of youth and the sorrow of love. In particular, the relationship between Naomi and Ruri strongly draws the audience in. Ruri's character has a serious and kind side as a library committee member, but she is also portrayed growing through her relationship with Naomi.

The film's visual expression is also not to be missed. Director Ito Tomohiko's directing skills shine in many scenes, especially the scenes that make use of futuristic technology. The beautiful images, which combine CG and hand-drawn animation, have the power to draw the audience in. Music also plays an important role, with 2027Sound's experimental approach adding depth to the story. The theme songs "New World," "Yesterday," and "Lost Game" match each scene perfectly and add to the atmosphere of the film.

The acting of the cast is also excellent, with Kitamura Takumi, Matsuzaka Tori, and Hamabe Minami all playing their characters realistically. Kitamura Takumi in particular portrays the character Naomi as she grows from a shy high school student, naturally. Matsuzaka Tori also skillfully plays the difficult role of Naomi, who is himself from the future. Hamabe Minami also charmingly plays the kind and earnest character Ruri.

This work is a new attempt to combine science fiction with a youth love story, and will leave the audience impressed and surprised. It depicts an encounter with oneself from the future, a fight to change fate, the bittersweetness of youth, and the sadness of love. The visual expression and music are wonderful, and the acting of the cast is superb. Please give it a watch.

■ Recommendation points

• The story depicts an encounter with oneself from the future and a battle to change one's fate
• The bittersweetness of youth and the sadness of love are depicted in the story.
• Visual expression that highlights director Tomohiko Ito's directing skills
• 2027Sound's experimental approach to music
• Great acting by Takumi Kitamura, Tori Matsuzaka, and Minami Hamabe

■ Related works

Other works that combine science fiction and youth love stories, like "HELLO WORLD," include "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" and "Summer Wars." These works also have themes of the future and technology, but also depict the bittersweetness of youth and the sadness of love. Another recommended work by director Ito Tomohiko is "Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale." This work also has a stunning visual expression that makes full use of futuristic technology, and has the power to draw the audience in.

■ Summary

"HELLO WORLD" is a new attempt to depict an encounter with oneself from the future, a fight to change fate, the bittersweetness of youth, and the sadness of love. The visual expression that shines with the directing ability of director Tomohiko Ito, the experimental musical approach of 2027Sound, and the wonderful acting of Takumi Kitamura, Tori Matsuzaka, and Minami Hamabe add excitement to the entire work. Please give it a watch.