Appeal and evaluation of the movie "Sumikko Gurashi": A pop-up picture book and a secret

The appeal and impressions of the movie "Sumikko Gurashi: The Pop-up Picture Book and the Secret Child"

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

character

■ Release date

November 8, 2019 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Asmik Ace

■Frequencies

65 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Horizontal slit

■ Director

Mankyu

■ Production

・Animation Production: Fanworks

■Works

©2019 Japan Sumikkogurashi Association Film Division

■ Story

The usual coffee shop, the usual corner. What is the mysterious picture book hidden in the basement? One day, the Sumikkogurashi find an old pop-up picture book in the basement of their favorite shop, "Coffee Shop Sumikkogurashi". While they are looking at the book, the mechanism suddenly starts to move, and the Sumikkogurashi are sucked into the book. In the world of the picture book, they meet a lonely chick who doesn't know where it came from or who it is... "Let's find a home for this chick!" The Sumikkogurashi decide to take off their clothes for their new friend. And so begins their journey through the world of picture books.

■Explanation

Are you a Sumikko too? The Sumikko story that no one knows about.

■Cast

Narration: Yoshihiko Inohara, Manami Honjo

■ Main staff

Director: Mankyuu Screenplay: Takashi Tsunoda (Europe Kikaku)
・Animation production: Fanworks

■ Main Characters

・Polar Bear A cold-sick, narrow-eyed bear who escaped from the north. After being sucked into a picture book, he finds himself in the world of "The Little Match Girl." He wants to warm up quickly.
・Chick?
I'm a chick? I don't know. I'm looking for my friends in the picture book.
・Penguin?
I'm a penguin. I'm not confident. I'm searching for myself. After being drawn into a picture book, I'm transported to the world of "Arabian Nights". I can't leave the chick alone, whose troubles are similar to mine.
・Tonkatsu The end of Tonkatsu. He is good friends with the tail of the leftover shrimp fry. After being sucked into the picture book, he is transported to the world of "Little Red Riding Hood". Will the wolf eat him...?
・The cat is shy and timid, and often gives up his place in the corner. After being sucked into the picture book, he is transported to the world of "Momotaro." He may not be suited to being the main character or the demon-fighter.
・The lizard is actually a remnant of a dinosaur. He is friends with a fake snail, a member of the fake family. After being sucked into the picture book, he is transported to the world of the Little Mermaid. It seems that he has become a better swimmer.
・The tail of the fried shrimp was hard, so it was left uneaten. Tonkatsu is a friend who shares a heart.
・The fake snail is actually a slug wearing an egg shell. Sorry for lying.

■ Theme songs and music

・TM
・Winter Songs・Song by Tomoyo Harada

The appeal and impressions of the movie "Sumikko Gurashi: The Pop-up Picture Book and the Secret Child"

The movie "Sumikko Gurashi: The Pop-up Picture Book and the Secret Child" is an animated film based on Sanrio's popular character "Sumikko Gurashi" that was released on November 8, 2019. This movie has gained support not only from fans but also from a wide range of people by maximizing the charm of the original characters while developing a new story and worldview.

First, let's talk about the story. The film begins with the Sumikkogurashi characters getting sucked into an old pop-up picture book they find in the basement of their usual cafe, Sumikkogurashi. In the world of the book, they meet a chick who doesn't know who she is, and go on a journey to find the chick's home. The story depicts themes of friendship and self-exploration while making use of the individual personalities of the Sumikkogurashi characters. In particular, the scenes in the picture book where each character jumps into the world of a famous fairy tale are not only visually enjoyable, but also provide an opportunity to delve deeper into the inner lives of each character.

For example, in the scene where Polar Bear jumps into the world of "The Little Match Girl," he is depicted shivering from the cold, conveying his desire for warmth. Also, in the scene where Penguin searches for himself in the world of "Arabian Nights," his lack of confidence and low self-esteem are highlighted. These scenes are not only visually beautiful, but also deeply moving to the audience by depicting the inner lives of the characters.

The film's visuals are also not to be missed. The animation produced by Fanworks brings out the cuteness of the Sumikkogurashi characters to the fullest while expressing the fantastical atmosphere of the world of the picture books. In particular, the scenes in which the mechanisms in the picture books come to life and the worlds of each fairy tale are depicted are impressive with their colorful and beautiful images. These visuals are of a quality that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.

As for the music, Tomoyo Harada's "Fuyu no Komori Uta" is a heartwarming song that perfectly matches the atmosphere of the movie. The voices of Yoshihiko Inohara and Manami Honjo, who are in charge of the narration, also help to bring out the worldview of the movie.

Furthermore, the film's themes of "friendship" and "self-exploration" are very important messages for us living in modern society. The way the Sumikkogurashi characters reaffirm the meaning of their existence and their bonds with their friends through their journey to find the chick's home deeply moves the audience. In particular, the process in which the chick, who doesn't know who he is, discovers himself through his journey with the Sumikkogurashi characters gives us hints on how to increase our self-esteem.

The film is also enjoyable for adults as well as children. The cuteness of the Sumikkogurashi characters and the beauty of the world of the picture book will attract children, while the themes of friendship and self-exploration will make adults think deeply. Furthermore, the scenes where the characters dive into the world of each fairy tale show respect for the original fairy tales, and the film is full of elements that adults can enjoy.

The appeal of this movie lies above all in the personalities of the Sumikkogurashi characters. Each character's individuality is portrayed throughout the story, including the polar bear's cold and shy personality, the chick's search for self, the penguin's lack of confidence, Tonkatsu's presence as the last remaining member, the cat's shyness, the liar's pride as the only survivor, the shrimp fry's tail's sadness at being left uneaten, and the fake snail's lying nature. These personalities inspire deep empathy in the audience and enhance the appeal of the movie as a whole.

The film's production staff also deserves praise. Director Mankyu succeeded in bringing out the best in the characters of the Sumikkogurashi, while screenwriter Takashi Tsunoda skillfully portrayed themes of friendship and self-discovery. Fanworks, in charge of animation, pursued visual beauty by successfully balancing the cuteness of the Sumikkogurashi with the fantastical atmosphere of the picture book world. The efforts of these staff members contributed to the film's quality.

Furthermore, screening in theaters, which is a medium for releasing movies, provides a special experience to the audience. The cuteness of the Sumikkogurashi characters and the beauty of the world of the picture book will be even more prominent on the screen than when viewed at home. Also, screening in theaters creates a shared experience between the audience, allowing them to feel the excitement of the movie more deeply.

Finally, let's summarize the appeal and impressions of the movie "Sumikko Gurashi: The Pop-up Picture Book and the Secret Child". This movie has gained support not only from fans but also from a wide range of people by developing a new story and worldview while bringing out the character of the Sumikkogurashi to the fullest. The story skillfully depicts the themes of friendship and self-exploration, deeply moving the audience. In terms of visuals, Fanworks' animation production pursued visual beauty by balancing the cuteness of the Sumikkogurashi with the fantastic atmosphere of the picture book world. In terms of music, Tomoyo Harada's song "Fuyu no Komori Uta" is a perfect fit for the atmosphere of the movie and is a heartwarming song. Furthermore, the theme of the movie, "friendship" and "self-exploration," is a very important message for us who live in modern society. The content is enjoyable not only for children but also for adults, and the scenes where you jump into the world of each fairy tale show respect for the original fairy tales. The efforts of the production staff have improved the perfection of the movie, and screening it in theaters provides a special experience for the audience. For the reasons above, the movie "Sumikko Gurashi: The Pop-up Picture Book and the Secret Child" is one that we highly recommend you see.