"Blue Thermal" Review: A drama of blue sky charm and challenge

Blue Thermal - A Challenge to the Blue Sky and the Brilliance of Youth

The animated film "Blue Thermal," released on March 4, 2022, depicts the youth of college students searching for updrafts under the blue sky. The original is Kana Ozawa's manga "Blue Thermal - Aonagi University Athletic Association Aviation Club -" published by Shinchosha. The film depicts the protagonists' growth through gliders, giving the audience a sense of adventure in the blue sky and the brilliance of youth.

story

Tamaki Tsuru was devoted to volleyball in high school, but moved to Tokyo from Nagasaki hoping to pursue club activities and romance at university. However, soon after enrolling, she damages a glider and ends up doing odd jobs for the Aonagi University Athletic Association Aviation Club to pay for the damage. Tamaki is dissatisfied at first, but the moment she flies in a glider piloted by captain Jun Kuramochi for the first time, she is captivated by its beauty.

"I want to fly more!" Tamaki becomes obsessed with the world of the sky. Her cheerful personality brightens up the people around her, and she deepens her bonds with her senior, Sorachi Daisuke, and her classmates. It was there that she found the fulfilling college life she had been looking for. However, when she reunites with her sister, Chizuru, at a joint training camp with other schools, she is hurt by her cold attitude. Furthermore, a strong rival appears at the rookie tournament, and she is shaken by the pressure, but encouraged by Kuramochi's words, she takes on the battle in the sky. Will Tamaki, who has fallen in love with the sky, be able to catch the "wind that brings happiness (blue thermal)"?

Commentary

"Blue Thermal" is a film that depicts the youth of university students who travel the skies in search of "blue thermals," the rising air currents that occur under blue skies. These rising air currents have the power to push gliders high into the air, and are said to be "winds that will bring you happiness if you catch them." The giant movie theater screen transforms into a beautiful blue sky, giving audiences the experience of flying in the sky.

The original work is Kana Ozawa's manga "Blue Thermal - Aonagi University Athletic Association Aviation Club" which was serialized in the monthly Comic @ Bunch. It depicts the growth of the club members through gliding and how they each try to overcome the problems they face, which has resonated with a wide range of readers. The scent of the earth and wind at the gliding field that the main character Tamaki feels, the tension and excitement when flying for the first time, and the beauty and exhilaration of the scenery seen from the cockpit are all meticulously expressed. It is a story that will arouse interest and curiosity in the sky not only in experienced gliders but also in readers who have never experienced it.

Thanks to the efforts of a producer who fell in love with this work at first sight, six years after the project was launched, an animated film was realized. The cast is filled with a stellar cast of voice actors, including Hotta Mayu, who is trying her hand at voice acting for the first time, as Tamaki, Shimazaki Nobunaga as Kuramochi Jun, and Enoki Junya as Sorachi Daisuke. The film is directed by Tachibana Masaki, known for Barakamon and Princess Principal, and animation was handled by Telecom Animation Film, who also worked on Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro. The theme song and insert songs are provided by piano rock band SHE'S, who provide beautiful music that links with the story.

cast

• Tamaki Tsuru - Mayu Hotta
• Jun Kuramochi - Nobunaga Shimazaki
• Daisuke Sorachi - Junya Enoki
• Chizuru Yano - Mikako Komatsu
• Asahina Yo - Daisuke Ono
• Yukari Muroi - Haruka Shiraishi
• Ayako Maki - Earth Leaves
• Eita Narihara - Ayumu Murase
• Ryohei Minamiha - Shin Furukawa
• Kaoru Mochida - Rie Takahashi
• Aihara Harufu - Taku Yashiro
• Kaede Hatori - Kengo Kawanishi
• Aonagi University Aviation Club Director - Terada Nori

Main Staff

• Original work: Kana Ozawa "Blue Thermal - Aonagi University Athletic Association Aviation Club" (published by Shinchosha Bunch Comics)
• Director - Masaki Tachibana
• Screenplay: Masaki Tachibana, Natsuko Takahashi
• Character design, chief animation director: Miho Tanino
• Music - Shogo Kaida
• Art director: Yasuhiro Yamako
• Color design - Masaru Hashimoto
• Director of photography - Masaru Wakabayashi
• Sound Director - Takayuki Yamaguchi
• Animation Production - Telecom Animation Film
• Production - Toei Tokyo Film Studio
• Production: "Blue Thermal" Production Committee

Main Characters

• Tamaki Tsuru - A first-year student in the Aonagi University Aviation Club. Nicknamed Tsurutama. Dreaming of club activities and romance, she moved to Tokyo from Nagasaki, but ended up joining the Aviation Club by chance. She has a cheerful personality and is a mood maker.
• Jun Kuramochi - Captain of the Aonagi University Aviation Club, a fourth-year student. A genius at glider piloting and the absolute ace. He welcomes Tsurutama into the aviation club and takes an interest in him. He is the envy of the other players, but he has a problem that he cannot tell anyone about.
• Daisuke Sorachi - A second-year student in the Aonagi University Aviation Club. He deeply admires the ace, Kuramochi. He is in charge of training the first-years, but he and Tsurutama are always fighting. He is clumsy and can't be honest about his feelings.
• Chizuru Yano - Captain/4th year student at Hannankan University's Aviation Club. She dislikes her younger sister Tamaki for some reason. She has a frank side towards Kuramochi, who has been fighting in the aviation world for four years.
• Asahina Yo - An alumnus of the Aonagi University Aviation Club. He retired from his athletic career due to an injury. In exchange for his support of the Aviation Club, he made a "contract" with Kuramochi and demanded constant results.
• Yukari Muroi - A first-year student in the Aonagi University Aviation Club. She cares about her friends and is a strong ally of Tamaki. Her trademark is her pink jumpsuit.
• Ayako Maki - A first-year student in the Aonagi University Aviation Club. She has a serious personality and a unique sense of fashion. Her trademark is her uniquely patterned T-shirts.
• Eita Narihara - A first-year student in the Aonagi University Aviation Club. He loves taking pictures and carries a camera with him even during club activities. His trademark is his round glasses.
• Ryohei Minamiha - A fourth-year student at Aonagi University's Aviation Club/Manager. He understands Kuramochi well and is like a father to the Aviation Club.
• Kaoru Mochida - A third-year student in the Aonagi University Aviation Club. She has a friendly personality and is on good terms with her juniors, including Tamaki.
• Harukaze Aihara - A third-year student in the Aonagi University Aviation Club/Head of the aircraft team. She has a strong sense of responsibility and scolds Tamaki harshly when he makes a mistake, but she also cares about her teammates.
• Hatori Kaede - A first-year student in the aviation department at Hannankan University. He is full of talent, having obtained a glider license at the youngest age in Japan. He is very proud and hits Tamaki hard.
• Aonagi University Aviation Club Coach - The coach of the Aonagi University Aviation Club. He usually quietly watches over the members, but he is there to encourage them at important times.

Theme songs and music

• TM1 - Blue Thermal
• Lyricist: Ryoma Inoue
• Composer - Ryoma Inoue
• Arrangement - SHE'S, Satoshi Takeshima, Mio
• Song - SHE'S

Evaluation and Impressions

"Blue Thermal" has been highly praised as a work that depicts the challenge of blue skies and the brilliance of youth. In particular, the protagonists' growth through gliders and the beautiful landscapes captured the hearts of audiences. The characters' individual personalities, such as Tamaki's innocent personality, Kuramochi's leadership, and Sorachi's clumsiness, are richly portrayed, eliciting deep empathy from the audience. In addition, the theme song "Blue Thermal" by SHE'S added color to the work with its beautiful melody that linked with the story, uplifting the emotions of the audience.

This film attracted attention not only as a coming-of-age anime film, but also as a work that dealt with the unique theme of gliders and updrafts. For those with experience in gliding, the film realistically depicts the atmosphere of the gliding field and the tension of piloting, while for those without, it will pique their interest in the sky. Director Masaki Tachibana's dynamic visual expression and rich portrayal of emotions left a strong impression on the audience.

Recommended points

"Blue Thermal" is not only a coming-of-age animated film, but also a work that deals with the unique themes of gliders and updrafts. The following points make it especially worthy of recommendation:

• Beautiful landscape depictions - The scene in which they search for "blue thermals," the rising air currents that occur under a clear blue sky, is even more impressive when seen on a huge movie theater screen.
• Character Growth - It is moving to see the characters, including the main character Tamaki, grow through the glider. In particular, the characters' unique personalities, such as Tamaki's innocent personality, Kuramochi's leadership, and Sorachi's clumsiness, are all appealing.
• Music - The theme song "Blue Thermal" by SHE'S has a beautiful melody that links with the story, coloring the work and elevating the emotions of the audience. The music, including the insert songs, enhances the appeal of the work.
• Realistic depiction of gliders - For experienced glider pilots, the atmosphere of the gliding field and the tension of piloting are realistically depicted, and for those with no experience, the content will pique their interest in the sky.
• Director's Visual Expressions - Director Masaki Tachibana's dynamic visual expression and rich portrayal of emotions leave a strong impression on the audience. In particular, the scene depicting the brilliance of youth through a glider is not to be missed.

Related information

The original manga of "Blue Thermal" was published by Shinchosha and serialized in the monthly comic @ Bunch. By reading the original, you can learn about episodes and character backgrounds that are not depicted in the movie. Also, to deepen your knowledge about gliders and updrafts, it is a good idea to refer to related books and websites.

In addition, at events and talk shows held in conjunction with the film's release, cast and staff shared their thoughts about the film and deepened their interactions with the audience. Reports and interviews from these events can also be useful in deepening your understanding of the film.

Conclusion

"Blue Thermal" has touched many audiences as a work depicting the challenge of blue skies and the brilliance of youth. The beautiful landscape, character growth, music, realistic glider depictions, the director's visual expression, and many other elements combine to leave a strong impression on the audience. This work is not only recommended as a youth anime film, but also as a work that deals with the unique themes of gliders and updrafts. Please experience this moving story at the cinema.