At the movies: The Blue Giant… Why you should see this movie adapted from the cult manga?

What is it about?

Dai Miyamoto’s life changes when he discovers jazz. Then he took up the saxophone and practiced every day. Passionate about playing, Dai one day manages to convince the talented pianist Yukinori to form a band with him. As the concerts progress, they get closer to their goal: to perform at Japan’s most famous jazz club, So Blue, hoping to change the world of jazz forever.

An original and rare item in animation

After April’s Your Lie, Bocchi the Rock, and Given, it’s Blue Giant’s turn to add to the long list of music-oriented anime. Adapted from a ten-volume manga by Shinichi Ishizuka published in 2013 by Shogakukan, the story follows the daily life of a young jazz-obsessed saxophonist.

And if there’s no shortage of live-action (Whiplash, Bird, La La Land…), in terms of Japanese animation, only Shinichiro Watanabe’s acclaimed adaptation of Kids on the Slope, released in 2012. As a reference for fans of this music genre. After twelve years, the movie Blue Giant delights fans of swing and anime and for the first time on the big screen.

An intriguing nugget that managed to catch the eyes of the public and industry professionals after it won the Best Film nomination at the 2023 Annecy Festival, three years after the release of the manga’s 3rd volume. St. was nominated. Competition at the Angoulême Festival.

Dynamic animation and compelling story

Led by Studio NUT, the fluid animation oscillates between wonderful shades of blues, yellows and purples, giving the film a comfortable atmosphere.

Still, we lamented the use of weak CGI during certain music scenes and that it took away from our viewing pleasure. The film crew touts this mix of 2D and 3D, along with “motion capture,” as the best way to capture musicians’ movements during their performance, including solos.

In terms of the script, the film has the advantage of being perfectly down-to-earth, offering three characters with very different profiles that a music-loving apprentice can identify with: a technical master who lacks madness, an enthusiast who plays. A goal other than pleasure, and a new kid, hardworking but struggling to improve.

Blue Giant’s story resonates with any young musician who has ever dreamed of making a living from their music. From the initial struggles to the confessions, including the questioning, this animated drama also tells the story of the delicate balance between passion and work, and always evokes the often ephemeral side of a music career with great precision.

Unique and attractive compositions

To compose music and play keyboards for the project, the producer of Blue Giant turned to Hiromi Uehara, a world-renowned pianist and a real reference on the Japanese jazz scene, winner of several prestigious awards, including the Grammy Award.

After gathering some of the best saxophonists and drummers on the planet, the choice of two other musicians fell on Tomoaki Baba and Shun Ishiwaka. First for the instantaneous force and rhythm of his breath. Another had to take off his professional hat in order to resemble a novice musician playing by holding down the sticks.

Eager to perfect the live performance scenes, which make up about a quarter of the film, the three worked with the designers, showing them numerous videos of jazz concerts as inspiration. It’s enough to make the movie even more realistic and the experience immersive!

Blue Giant hits theaters this Wednesday, March 6 on VOSTFR and VF. And if you want to continue the adventure after your viewing, know that there are two sequels available in the manga: Blue Giant Supreme and Blue Giant Explorer.