Cinematography:
Kasumi TougouCast:
Yuki Yamada, Shotaro Mamiya, 岡山天音, Naoto Kobayashi, Shin'ya Nishiyama, Yūki Okada, Karin Nanami, Yasuhiro Kikuchi, Ryousuke Higa, Ikkyū Juku, Yōhei Matsuoka (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Ever since a friend took him to a live jazz performance that moved him on a deep level, high school student Dai Miyamoto has been practising on the saxophone day and night. Although he is not able to read sheet music, he plays with all his passion. After graduation, jazz music leads him to move to Tokyo, where he meets a talented pianist named Yukinori Sawabe. At first Yukinori does not take him seriously, but after hearing him play he changes his mind and together they decide to form a band. They are soon joined by rookie drummer Shunji Tamada and the three of them form JASS. They dream of playing at Japan’s top jazz club, So Blue, and changing the Japanese jazz scene. (Seminci - Valladolid International Film Festival)
(more)Reviews (1)
I like jazz; its spontaneity and playfulness really speak to me. And Blue Giant did an excellent job of capturing the essence of jazz. The performances, both musically and visually, were truly impressive. The camera work was engaging, but what really caught my eye was the stunning use of colors – they were enchanting, beautiful, simply breathtaking. I appreciated how the performances were interspersed with flashbacks that added depth to the story, seamlessly fitting into the narrative. Despite the stereotypical storyline following a group of musicians on their way to the top, complete with a few clichés (like the obligatory training scenes involving lots of running – not something I expected in a music-focused film), I found myself drawn into the journey. The emphasis on hard work and pouring one's heart into the music resonated with me. The characters felt believable and likable, and even the 3DCGI models used during musical performances, which I was initially apprehensive about after seeing the trailer, turned out to be quite impressive. However, what bothered me more in terms of animation was the style of shading which felt excessive and distracting. Overall, Blue Giant worked for me on a musical, visual, and emotional level, earning it a solid rating of 8/10.
()