BLUE GIANT Anime Film Teaser Trailer Sparks Intense Jazz Session
The official website for the forthcoming anime film adaptation of Shinichi Ishizuka’s jazz-themed manga BLUE GIANT has posted a 30-second teaser trailer introducing its three main character visuals and music for the first time.
RELATED: Jazz-themed Anime Film BLUE GIANT Set to Open in February 2023
It was also announced that world-renowned Grammy Award-winning pianist Hiromi Uehara is in charge of the film’s music, including the original tunes for the trio “JASS” formed by the main characters in the story. She also plays the piano for Yukinori Sawabe, a pianist whom the protagonist, Dai Miyamoto, meets in Tokyo.
Tomoaki Baba plays the saxophone for Dai, who aspires to become the world’s best jazz player. With the cooperation of Universal Music, an audition was held with leading players from Japan and abroad. Baba was unanimously selected from among the players from all over the world.
Shun Ishikawa plays drums for Shunji Tamada, a high school classmate of Dai from Sendai. He is one of the most sought-after drummers who is active not only in jazz but also in various genres.
♬━━━━
映画 #BLUEGIANT
担当アーティストのご紹介
━━━━♩映画館がライブハウスに！
最高の音楽を最高の音響で????#上原ひろみ × #馬場智章 × #石若駿
ジャズシーンのトップランナーが
“JASS”の演奏に命を吹き込む！#ブルージャイアント pic.twitter.com/m7mkjJkMjo— 映画『BLUE GIANT』公式アカウント (@bluegiant_movie) October 18, 2022
The film, directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa (Mob Psycho 100), is set to be released in Japan on February 17, 2023. Animation production is handled by NUT (DECA-DENCE). It was originally scheduled for release in 2022, but the production period has been extended to express the world of the film better.
Message from the manga author Shinichi Isuzuka:
We are extremely fortunate to have Hiromi Uehara-san, one of the best pianists in the jazz world, as the film’s music director. Together with Tomoaki Baba-san on saxophone and Shun Ishiwaka-san on drums, two sincere young players, they spun the sound of the film “BLUE GIANT” through a process of trial and error. It is very powerful music. There is much more I would like to say about the sound, but I will try to hold back and hope that everyone will enjoy the film. Thank you, Uehara-san, Baba-san, and Ishiwaka-san, for the super cool sound! Everyone, jazz is waiting for you at the theater! Please enjoy!
Latest key visual:
The manga has been serialized in Shogakukan’s Big Comic since May 2013. Following the first arc BLUE GIANT set in Japan (May 2013 – August 2016) and the second arc BLUE GIANT Supreme set in Europe (September 2016 – April 2020), its story has entered the third arc BLUE GIANT Explorer set in the United States since May 2020. A total of 27 tankobon volumes have been released in Japan and over 8.8 million copies have been printed so far.
Its English editions have been published by Seven Seas Entertainment since November 2020. The publisher describes its synopsis:
Dai lived a normal high school life in Sendai: a city of hot summer days and rainy nights. Between basketball, part time jobs, and an uncertain future, something was missing. And that thing was music. With his days in senior year running out, Dai swears a heartfelt vow: “I’m gonna be the best jazz player in the world.” But what do you need to be the best? Talent? Effort? A lucky break? Or maybe just a deep, pure love for music, and too much stubbornness to know when to quit.
RELATED: Shinichi Ishizuka’s Jazz-themed Manga BLUE GIANT Gets Anime Film in 2022
Source: “BLUE GIANT” anime film official website / Twitter
©2022 “BLUE GIANT THE MOVIE” Production Committee © 2013 Shinichi Ishizuka
