I'm sure I'll be able to find words to describe this *incredible* movie, just let me pick my jaw up off the floor first. Have any of you been in situations like this? Were you more of a Mizore or Nozomi? If you want to see our reaction to the next Hibike Euphonium movie RIGHT NOW, go check out our Patreon and get on early access: www.patreon.com/semblanceofsanity
Its so odd to mention this (I've always related to Kumiko the most out of every/any fictional character) but Liz to Aoi Tori is the closest I've experienced a character dynamic so similar to me and my ex. After alot of crying, breaking down and rewatching this film - it made me realise I was never the "Mizore," I just so desparately wanted to be like her, embody her, etc. I was never attentive enough to my ex as a person because all I really desired, was her achievements. My ex insisted we were equals but I could never see it, because we valued each other so differently. I loved her incredible intelligence and creativity because it made me jealous, my ex just loved me as me. Its prioritisation of care towards portraying realistic relationship conflicts was beyond commendable. When I finally initiated contact for closure reasons .... it was so scary how much of my body language, speech and inability to resign to vulnerability resembled Nozomi during the "confession" scene. Yeah. Music school is hard, and being a "Nozomi" is hard. Still, I should've gotten past myself to understand how hard it is to be a "Mizore," but its in the past now. I still love her, but I'm ok now that I've let her go. I want her to be successful and I never want to see her again.
Absolute masterpiece. From the first to the last minute you can clearly see how every little body movement has so much purpose behind it. No need for Naoko Yamada to be the "next Miyazaki" when she is already "THE Yamada". And also: Ririka is just the cutest!
Liz and the Blue Bird is a masterpiece of animation, with a universal theme, a slice of life for high school students. Being no longer children, but not grown-ups either, these girls manage to live. Sometimes it's clever, sometimes it's beautiful. Kyoto Animation portrays these characters with realism and sincerity while staying close to them. The imperfect, impassioned glow of youth is depicted in a rational way that captivates the audience. The film is a masterpiece of serene expression of the relationship between two people and the transience of youth. At the beginning of the film, Mizore is sitting on the stairs in front of the school building, waiting for Nozomi. She hears a set of footsteps. The music playing in the background changes its tone. Before the owner of the footsteps shows herself, Mizore knows who she is. Nozomi makes a dashing appearance and the two walk together towards the school building. By this point, there are already shots of Mizore's legs sitting on the stairs and of Nozomi's feet as she walks, but it is worth noting that the emphasis is both visual and auditory. 1. Disjoint and dichotomy of Nozomi and Mizore The keyword disjoint is presented. In the context of the overall theme of the work, disjoint refers to the fact that sets in maths have no common parts. The term set is called ensemble in French. The term disjoint is also used to denote an integer with only one common divisor (coprime). Throughout the film, the relationship between Nozomi and Mizore has no common denominator, although there are contrasts. Nozomi is lively and fast, while Mizore is quiet and walks slowly. Nozomi walks ahead and Mizore chases after her. Nozomi is surrounded by many juniors, and Mizore rejects the few juniors who play the oboe part. Nozomi reads a picture book to interpret "Liz and the Blue Bird", while Mizore reads the novel to understand it in depth. Nozomi is the blue bird and Mizore is Liz. 2. The reflection of Nozomi's flute implies the transience of youth The relationship between Nozomi and Mizore is shown in this scene without any lines. It is one of Liz's most beautiful scenes. The reflected light from Nozomi's flute caresses Mizore's body. It's a beautiful expression of their communion and passing, happiness and sadness, and it almost overwhelms you with emotion. This scene is portrayed brightly while Nozomi is visible, and darkly when she disappears. 3. The new friendship and their career paths influence Nozomi and Mizore Nozomi seems to fit in with her classmates and juniors in the flute section, but they don't have a heart-to-heart relationship. Her smile, which is inserted every so often, is acted out and not real. Nozomi had already left the club, so she can't afford to have a problem with the flute part. Mizore, on the other hand, initially shuts out Ririka and doesn't care what she thinks of her. For Mizore, Nozomi is But Mizore gradually opens her heart to the younger students. Whereas Nozomi's relationships are superficial because she's trying to be the person she's always wanted to be, Mizore's are honest and she creates relationships that allow her to connect with them. The composition of Mizore, who is lonely, and Nozomi, who reaches out to her, is gradually broken. When Mizore wants to invite younger students to the swimming pool, Nozomi's face clouds for a moment. I wonder how Nozomi feels when she was told this. There is no one from the flute part in the picture of them playing at the pool. This means that Nozomi has no friends in the flute section to invite. Nozomi slowly faces the reality that she cannot live a life based solely on her dedication to music. She is not a person who can just follow her path. Mizore, on the other hand, has a talent for music that allows her to fly like a bird. Nozomi looks up to her and is filled with bitterness and envy. It may seem like a common problem, but it is this very issue of a career that has dramatically changed their relationship. When Yuko, Natsuki, Nozomi and Mizore are talking about their future in the music room, the desks in the row only where Nozomi is sitting are not arranged properly as if they imply her emotions. 4. Mizore's oboe solo and I Love You Hug The I Love You Hug scene is the highlight of the film. It tries to bridge the gap between them, but it does not end in an ideal way. In the science room scene, Nozomi's inferiority complex towards Mizore leads her to use self-deprecating language. She's not her usual cheerful self. At least, she hopes for Mizore's endorsement of her skills and efforts in the wind ensemble. However, what Mizore sees is Nozomi herself. Her affections for Nozomi are unconditional and do not affect herself with her skills, practice and effort. Hence, even if Mizore's words are approval of Nozomi, they do not prove the importance of her skills on the flute. In that context, "I like your flute" is the most desired thing Nozomi wants to hear. However, this, still, is only soothing words, and as long as Nozomi stands on the ability-based belief, the problem will never be solved by words. If Nozomi could get over and gain her confidence, it would only be by the fact that she is as great at her instrument as Mizore. But that's something Nozomi has to do on her own. Thus, Mizore can't relieve Nozomi. Ironically, this conversation is taking place in that science room where Mizore was exposed to the reflected light of Nozomi's flute. That memory was supposed to remain beautiful. For Mizore, the reason why she has continued to play the oboe and has improved is that she doesn't want Nozomi to give up on her. And her technique surpasses Nozomi's. And the reason why he was able to understand the bluebird's feelings and put them into sound was that she was deeply in love with Nozomi. She initially thought she'd keep the bluebird locked up for life. At that point, Mizore was aware that she was playing the role of Liz, and she said that if she could choose, she would never let go of the bluebird, Nozomi. This is a very strong statement for the quiet Mizore. Now that she realised she is like the blue bird and decided to leave Liz (Nozomi) by playing the oboe solo with her entire ability. Because that is what love is. But all the feelings that were born from Mizore's love for Nozomi ended up hurting Nozomi, who loves the flute. How cruel. Because Mizore's love was too deep, Nozomi's heart was shattered. Nozomi says she doesn't remember any of her past interactions with Mizore, but it's more than likely that she's lying. In her recollections of the first time she approached Mizore to invite her to join the wind ensemble club, Mizore's outline was sharply defined. It suggests that her memory is vivid. Moreover, she tells Mizore she is not the person Mizore thinks she is, and she should be disdained. She feels sorry for pretending to ignore Mizore's love, for thinking it was too heavy, and for looking down on her in some part of her heart. She is fairly aware of the negative side of herself. Nozomi is a person who can regret and reflect on her past actions. In this respect she is likeable. Aware of each other's paths, Nozomi heads for the library and Mizore for the music room. At this point, their hair is swaying in tempo. In the beginning, only Nozomi's hair was emphasized, but here, the swaying of the back of Mizore's hair is similar to Nozomi's, and it is a description of the change. And outside each room where they are together, a blue bird flies. Not only out of the music room Mizore practices but also outside the library Nozomi studies. It's not just Mizore who could be flying. A Venn diagram appears, and blue and red watercolours erode each other. It suggests a new relationship between the two. Blue and red are the colours of Nozomi and Mizore's eyes respectively. 5. A happy ending and Happy Ice Cream Their feelings for each other were not equal. But now they have the same weight. It's not just a beautiful feeling. There is not only friendship but also jealousy and dependence. But it is so much better than indifference. And then they leave the school building, the birdcage, and go home. Here, the composition of the beginning is reversed. Nozomi, who is going ahead, is now occupying a lower position than Mizore, who is following behind her. On their way home, they stop in the middle of the stairs and have a conversation, maintaining the same composition. She still tells Mizore she perfectly backs up her oboe solo. Later, as they descend the stairs to level ground, their positions become horizontal, and the synchronicity is accentuated by their simultaneous utterance of the same words. At the end of the film, Nozomi's and Mizore's hearts find common ground, despite the film's stubborn asymmetry. For the first time, they are united by one thing, "Let's do our best at the contest". For the next few steps, the sound of their footsteps also overlaps with one another. The days of youth are called seishun in Japanese, and it directly translates as 'blue spring'. The season of blue spring, when the young leaves sprout and grow into a big trunk, passes in an instant, but the experiences of this season remain in their memories forever. Nozomi hopes the story will have a happy ending. It only depends on those girls. However, they still have some time left in high school and a long life ahead of them. Their relationship as girls may be over, but their relationship may continue differently. For Nozomi and Mizore, with an uncertain future ahead of them, this momentary overlap of hearts, this moment when they could believe in all the possibilities. Lastly, in my wishful thinking, if Nozomi accepts that she can't take the same path as Mizore, if Mizore understands that Nozomi isn't the only one in the world, and if both of them realise and accept their own charms that they can't see at the moment, they will be able to connect with each other through love in the future.
Now i understand the meaning of the name "blue spring ride". This was a manga by io sakisaka, about the love of youth. I never understood why that name...now i do.
Now i understand the meaning of the name "blue spring ride". This was a manga by io sakisaka, about the love of youth. I never understood why that name...now i do.
@@hannahettinger9088 Thanks for the comment. I learnt new concepts: diegetic and non-diegetic music. As for non-diegetic found, the footsteps of Nozomi and Mizore, interestingly, is not created after completed the drawings. But, the soundtrack already has sounds of their footsteps and KyoAni aims to match the pictures to the sounds. At the end of the film, Mizore's footsteps fixed at 100 BPM and Nozomi's fluctuates from 99 and 101 BPM (this is a disjoint relation as well). But only 4 steps could overlap after they say Happy Ice Cream. That is a near coincidence and we can see the hint of a happy ending here.
I love the resolution to Nozomi & Mizore’s relationship. I’m reminded of one of the last scenes in A Place Further Than the Universe, wherein upon having to go their separate ways at the train station, Yuzuki asks “Does this mean we won’t be together anymore?”, to which Kimari responds “No, it means we’ll still be together, even when we’re not.”
Ugh how good was that show!? I especially liked the witty reports hahaha. But the best scene for me is when they're on the run, and Kimari starts to laugh as she's feeling her youth and freedom.
As someone who studied Literature in school, Liz and the Blue Bird was an absolute treat because not only could I explore the story itself but it allowed me to dive deeper into the world and other aspects/components that make Liz......well Liz (which interested me more to be completely honest), as aside from the story and the parallels it drew from the fairytale, Liz and the Blue Bird goes much deeper than what it seems on the surface level, its unique and experimental to say the least. I spent quite a bit of time on this write-up/discussion which is going to be touching on the other aspects/components of Liz and the Blue Bird rather than it's story cause I'll leave that to others who can better describe/analyze it than I can. So giving it a read would be much appreciated! ~ Liz and the Blue Bird was directed by Naoko Yamada with the film's music produced by Kensuke Ushio. Apart from Yamada and Ushio, the team that worked on Liz was the same core team that produced Kyoto Animation's previous theatrical work, A Silent Voice (also directed by Yamada), thus taking on a completely different visual and artstyle from its parent franchise, Hibike! Euphonium. This drastic change in style, specifically for the character design (done by Futoshi Nishiya [R.I.P]) better portrays the emotions of the characters in a more gentle way while also giving them an air of maturity and grace, better fitting of the movie's overall tone and emotions. ~ Liz and the Blue Bird is what you call a "Visceral Sensory Experience"- Jack (UTS), as it uses its Audial and Visual components to create imagery as it beautifully tells it's story, Liz tells much more of its story through its imagery rather than the words of its characters. Look no further than in the opening scene of the movie where Mizore's sitting on the steps, as the first girl walks into the school, we can only audibly hear her footsteps but as soon as Nozomi walks through the school's gates, the cheerful music starts playing, the birds start chirping, the wind blows as the trees sway and Mizore's entire disposition changes as this opening section of the opening scene portrays Mizore's feeling of happiness and excitement as she sees Nozomi. Note that not a single word was spoken as this happens, not until Nozomi picks up the blue feather at the top of the steps. Mizore's feelings were entirely captured only through its Audial and Visual components of that section of the opening scene. Another bit of the opening scene where the Audial and Visual components come into play is when Nozomi and Mizore were walking towards the school's music room, their footsteps, both in the sound and visually, already gives us an entry into their personality, Nozomi being the cheerful and energetic of the two whereas Mizore is the reserved and quiet one, we can explicitly hear and see the differences in their footsteps that separates them as two different characters. As for the film's music, Yamada and Ushio decided to use objects that can be found in a school to produce its tracks while also recording themselves doing things (i.e. recording their footsteps, tapping the school chairs etc.) around the school area where Kitauji is based on. The uniqueness of the tracks add much more depth and emotions to Liz than it already is. It is the attention to detail Yamada and Ushio put in that makes the music of Liz special. In Liz, Yamada takes a risk by re-shaping an already established franchise and world of Hibike! into a completely different work. Whereas the world of Hibike! was vast and contained various places based in Kyoto, Liz's entire movie pretty much takes place only inside Kitauji High School, this makes sense as much like the fairytale land is the domain of Liz and the Blue Bird, the school is the world of Nozomi and Mizore, there's no world outside of Kitauji High School that Nozomi and Mizore share. One might criticize the lack of diversity in the world of Liz but the movie makes fantastic and smart use of its limited space in the school by making it as isolated and restrictive as possible, or as open as the universe can be to tell it's story. The scene of Nozomi with Natsuki in the classroom where Nozomi asks "Has Mizore said anything?" is telling to how the limited space in Kitauji High School shared by Nozomi and Mizore can still be the same space where Nozomi and Mizore become distant from each other. Windows (specifically the shadows of it) of Kitauji High School surprisingly play a role in Liz, it acts as a cage for birds, for the Blue Bird of course. An example of this would be when Mizore says to Yuuko: "I mean, I don't know when Nozomi will leave me again. I can't push her away. Not with my own hands. I can never release her myself. There's just no way", the camera pans to the wall where a section of a window's shadow is shown. Note how that section of the window's shadow is small and restrictive, to represent a cage where Mizore (who sees herself as Liz) cannot open to let the Blue Bird free. Note also the different colour tones used in different scenes in the movie to capture Nozomi and Mizore's relationship as it develops or progresses throughout the story. Like how when they're both distant from each other, the overall colour tones of each scene have a blueish, cooler and mellow feel to it. But during the what I would like to call the "confession scene", the colour tone becomes warmer as the sunlight angles into the science lab and brings brightness to the overall scene. The use of differing colour tones to capture the mood of a specific scene and the emotions of the characters is quite brilliant in my eyes, very reminiscent of the train scenes in A Silent Voice with Shoko and Shoya. ~ Something to point out here from a technical standpoint, One of the most beautiful scene or part of the film was the abstract Blue Bird that flew into the distance during the Third Movement as Mizore unleashes her full potential of her Oboe skills. That abstract Blue Bird was made using the technique of Decalcomania which is the art of pressing paint on paper and folding it to create mirroring images. The results were stunning and although the two sides of the bird look of the same at first glance, it's actually slightly different. This is significant as it communicates to us how the shape of Mizore's love for Nozomi is different to the shape of Nozomi's love for Mizore, like how Yamada puts it: "But I don't think it's just that the shapes are missing each other. It's a bit like two cogs of different sizes coming together for a brief moment. I wanted to depict this moment between the two in a hopeful manner" The importance of the abstract Blue Bird doesn't stop there as it also represents the two different dynamics between Nozomi and Mizore, both musically and in their friendship, which again emphasizes the importance of the mirroring images of the abstract Blue Bird because not only it represents the shape of Nozomi's and Mizore's love for each other, but its there to illustrate the two differing dynamics between the both of them. - In terms of their friendship, Mizore views Nozomi as the bubbly, outgoing and extroverted person, much like how the Blue Bird is in the fairytale and thus Mizore being the shy, quiet and introvert she is, sees herself as Liz. - But in a musical setting, Mizore is clearly the better and internally, Nozomi knows this but doesn't communicate it to Mizore when they're playing the Third Movement which in consequence of this, Mizore again sees herself as Liz even in a musical setting, unable to unleash her full potential as a highly skilled Oboe player, almost as if she's trapped inside a cage like a bird as Mizore wants to be on equal ground with Nozomi. (Like in the Fairytale, the Blue Bird only flies out at night when Liz is asleep but still comes back as she sees Liz as her equal and also in the fear that she'll leave Liz behind and making her lonely) ~ Liz and the Blue Bird is the result of and represents the insanely talented, daring and creative minds of Kyoto Animation wanting to be different from the others in the industry. The face of this is of course Yamada who wanted to test the limits of what she could do as a director and confidently took on this risk, a franchise film that strays away from its own franchise and often unrecognisable from its original show but it's a film that has its own personal touch and love given to it, a little bit personal if you ask me. If anything, it made me love Hibike! Euphonium even more and cementing it as My No.1 Anime Series/Franchise of all time. As a whole, Liz and the Blue Bird is no doubt another Kyoto Animation masterpiece, an experimental one that is, but what's interesting about it is that it's a masterpiece that's not for everyone, only those who can truly understand and appreciate the depth of Liz will be able to wholeheartedly value it as one. END.
I enjoyed reading the review on the production side. This film is a masterpiece not just because of the story, but also the production, direction, and music. If a film is only for fun, it will be forgotten one day. But this one, with its honest portrayal of the characters' hearts and its universal themes, and its room for reflection, will stay with you forever.
So fun fact the entire staff from the director, script-writer, animation director, character designer and composer is the same as A Silent Voice. Naoko Yamada is a masterclass anime director and I'm really happy she got way more experimental compare to A Silent Voice. Also yes this was adapted from one of the two books (not light novels) of the second year focusing on Mizore and Nozomi. The other book is adapted in the next movie which goes back to the usual staff of the TV show.
I watched this movie without having seen the anime, a lot because I didn't even know there was an anime, but still, in the solo scene, I just started crying, it's a movie that whether you know the anime or not, it makes you feel a lot .
At the beginning, Nozomi says she prefers stories with a happy ending when commenting about the story of Liz and the bluebird. She said this because at that time she believes that that story has a sad ending since the bluebird parts way with Liz. However, at the end of the movie, she decides to part ways with Mizore by not attending music school with her because she realized that the story of Liz actually have a good ending. She and Mizore are both inspired by the story and actively decided to have their happy end, or in this case, their new beginning. In my two cents, this is what this movie wants to convey: inspiration comes from our own interpretation and observation and this movie is a perfect example of that in which you can dig as deep as you want and you still find something new to appreciate. Kyoani truly elevates art unlike anyone else.
I have a lot of things to say about this movie... but there's one in particular i truly like. I loved how kumiko and reina played the solo. I mean, it also feels like it was reina's idea to show mizore how it could sound, or maybe they were just having fun! No matter how, it worked. It showed mizore and nozomi how beautiful that solo is, but also it protrayed how a healthy and balanced friendship looks like. So simple, yet so powerful!
The moment I saw the opening walk between Mizore and Nozomi and how it plays with the music in the background I just knew I’m gonna absolutely love this movie(which turned out to be true as this is one of my top 5-ish anime movies and Nr 1 that you can watch as a stand-alone without prior knowledge of the show it’s connecting to). You could literally watch only this one small scene as a short film and still get an incredible experience, there’s just so much character in it, and the visual and sound directing are phenomenal (which shouldn’t be a question considering who directed this). Few minutes into the reaction and I’m already loving the discussion on who’s the bird and who’s Liz. „I love this awkward girl“. Isn’t Ririka just a treasure?^^ Also fun fact: the voice actress for both Liz and the blue bird girl was not even 14 at the time of filming this. „I think those were tears welling up in her eyes“. I think those were tears welling up in everyone’s eyes that watched this film. The buildup to the solo, the solo itself with Mizore taking the initiative and their confession, just everything, is perfect down to the last bit. They are finally communicating. This is one hell of a masterpiece of a movie but I really can’t wait to see your reaction to the solo next week. If you do not cry there, you are not human ^^ And the scene and the walk toward the end paralleling the beginning. Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. Just. Brilliant! No matter how many praises I’d give it they’ll never be enough to do the praises this deserves justice.
RIP to Futoshi Nishiya. His character designs in Hyouka, Silent Voice, and this movie really nailed that down-to-earth feel. I love a lot of KyoAni's other styles but his style fits best for their more grounded works imo. I thought Mizore/Nozomi's arc in the TV show was kinda weak, but this movie makes up for it. I actually saw this film before seeing season 2.
Wonderful movie. I've been looking forward to this reaction just as much as Hibike in it's entirety. And yeah... Ushio went above and beyond for this movie. The OST is incredible.
I've replied to one of the long comments here, but for some reason, it was not posted. Might be because the g word is censored. So, I just post a new comment here... Awesome writeup. One of the reasons why I love Kyoani, especially Yamada's works is because they reward deliberate articulation/meticulous thinking, meaning that the more you think about them, the more you enjoy them. They respect viewer's intelligence and expect them to think beyond what is presented. In my view, one of the heights of craftmanship is the ability to 'sprinkle' a few peculiar hints that doesn't flow well with the rest of the materials - a well hidden but important messages. For example, after the Nozomi's and Mizore's 'parallel walk' scene near the end, when Nozomi starts her study session and Mizore starts her practice session, there's a peculiar split second cut of a blurred white line. I take it as their way of saying that the line of distinction between who is Liz and who is bluebird has been blurred, both of them are equally significant to each other. It can also means that the line between present and future has been dissolved, this is their turning point and a key decision that they have made in their life. The second example is the weird gesture that Nozomi made after the love hug scene. Nozomi is the kind of person who say what people want to hear, not what in their heart. Notice that in the entire film, she never once said 'I love you Mizore'. This doesn't mean she doesn't like her, as we all aware but this particular gesture implies that Nozomi loves Mizore so much that she can eat her, and illustrates Kyoani's mastery of visual characterization. And the last example is the part where Nozomi said '..., why did you teach me how to open the cage' when quoting the book. This is one of my favourite scenes because of the way it frames Nozomi overlooking the wide landscape from the top of the hill, suggesting that her worldview has been opened up by the revelation of Liz's decision. It is a powerful scene because from that point both of them are finally free from each other's bind and they know exactly what needs to be done.
this is definitely best film in my life i was nonstop crying last 30 minute in this movie, there is lot of mizore's happy and anxiety when i start thinking about this movie, my mental will be break everytime
Having been in Nozomi's situation a couple times, its really hard to try and understand someone so emotionally vulnerable yet also emotionally uninteligent. How do you manouver around them without hurting them? How do you understand what they want or where are they coming from? Blind devotion can be a terrifying thing to face. She tried time and again to reach out, but when there was no response, she pulled back assuming she was in the wrong, not because she was, but because she had already hurt her in the past and didn't want to do that again. It would be cruel to demand a better reaction from a teenage girl who isn't even sure if she is dealing with her friend's codependancy, or quiet resentment, or unrequited love, all the while harvoring her own issues about the whole relationship and the future. As for Mizore, this movie finally allowed me to come to understand and appreciate her character. During the show, I was so often mad at her inmaturity and outrageously childish behavior. I thought of her as an annoyance and an obstacle rather than a person. It took this movie for me to finally understand her struggle. Where I thought there was selfishness, I found a deep and engulfing love. When I had previously criticized her indecisiveness, I now have come to applaud her boldness. She grew up and realied what she wanted, and was not afraid to put it out there for the whole world to see, specially for Nozomi, and most of all for herself. This is the reason we tell stories about adolescense, because it is these stories that allow us to see a child leave the past behind and transform into an adult, taking flight for the first time.
24:35 THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME I thought that this is just a cool movie after I watched it, I found out that this is related to hibike euphonium
FYI Hibike is a regular novel, not a light novel But I think Liz and the Blue Bird is an anime original. Not sure though. 1:03:53 As Adam Neely would say : Repetition legitimizes
Both movie was directed by Naoko Yamada , but I like this movie than Silent Voice, tbh. This whole story fit so well in a movie, not too complicated with a lot of characters in Silent Voice. I have to read manga to fully understand the story after finish Silent Voice. Meanwhile right after Liz and Blue Bird's credit rolled, I'm speechless and cried.
this is my favorite movie of all time... y'all said you wanted to read the light novel.. this movie is mostly original. The major plot events of this movie do happen in the hibike! euphonium novels, but they're told from kumiko's perspective, much like it happens in season 2 of the series. This story, told like this with the kind of deep emotional exploration focusing specifically on these two was something that Naoko Yamada brought to the table 'cause she loves them a lot. also, y'all said that nozomi was a better communicator but at the start of the movie i don't think mizore or nozomi are good communicators. nozomi is better at *talking* which is why she can have lots of friends other than mizore, but she isn't able to communicate her jealousy and emotions to mizore.. which causes mizore to be hurt when she tries to reach out in the middle section of the film...
I really hope we get to see Naoko Yamada get to make another film or series. I don't throw "next Miyazaki" around lightly but I really do think she's worthy of that title.
The movie's gorgeous in a number of ways, but personally I don't know how I feel about the ending. Not so much what happened in the end, but where it ended. It felt like the movie was building up to some kind of significant change in their relationship, be it them getting closer or drifting apart, but the movie ended very close to how it began. That said, the rest of the movie? Fantastic. The final performance legitimately felt like a dialogue scene, between the facial animation and the tone of the instruments. It's difficult to express. The back-and-forth felt very tangible in a way that purely instrumental pieces rarely feel to me.
Guys, you totally get it. I was one of those who said "wait, what? Didn't this two make up?" I thought for around 4 years (i just saw it recently) that after episode 5 they became bff again! i was surprised by how toxic, unbalanced and distant their friendship still was after all. Really shocking for me and i was so confused, to the point at the beggining i didn't like the movie.. But...i guess how real life is after all.
I'm sure I'll be able to find words to describe this *incredible* movie, just let me pick my jaw up off the floor first. Have any of you been in situations like this? Were you more of a Mizore or Nozomi? If you want to see our reaction to the next Hibike Euphonium movie RIGHT NOW, go check out our Patreon and get on early access:
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I saw this movie before watching the series and it still hit me so hard in the feels. That's the true genius of it.
Its so odd to mention this (I've always related to Kumiko the most out of every/any fictional character) but Liz to Aoi Tori is the closest I've experienced a character dynamic so similar to me and my ex. After alot of crying, breaking down and rewatching this film - it made me realise I was never the "Mizore," I just so desparately wanted to be like her, embody her, etc. I was never attentive enough to my ex as a person because all I really desired, was her achievements. My ex insisted we were equals but I could never see it, because we valued each other so differently. I loved her incredible intelligence and creativity because it made me jealous, my ex just loved me as me. Its prioritisation of care towards portraying realistic relationship conflicts was beyond commendable. When I finally initiated contact for closure reasons .... it was so scary how much of my body language, speech and inability to resign to vulnerability resembled Nozomi during the "confession" scene. Yeah. Music school is hard, and being a "Nozomi" is hard. Still, I should've gotten past myself to understand how hard it is to be a "Mizore," but its in the past now. I still love her, but I'm ok now that I've let her go. I want her to be successful and I never want to see her again.
Absolute masterpiece. From the first to the last minute you can clearly see how every little body movement has so much purpose behind it.
No need for Naoko Yamada to be the "next Miyazaki" when she is already "THE Yamada".
And also: Ririka is just the cutest!
This movie is truly a masterpiece
Fun fact: Naoko Yamada herself wrote the lyrics for the first credits song!
Liz and the Blue Bird is a masterpiece of animation, with a universal theme, a slice of life for high school students. Being no longer children, but not grown-ups either, these girls manage to live. Sometimes it's clever, sometimes it's beautiful. Kyoto Animation portrays these characters with realism and sincerity while staying close to them. The imperfect, impassioned glow of youth is depicted in a rational way that captivates the audience. The film is a masterpiece of serene expression of the relationship between two people and the transience of youth.
At the beginning of the film, Mizore is sitting on the stairs in front of the school building, waiting for Nozomi. She hears a set of footsteps. The music playing in the background changes its tone. Before the owner of the footsteps shows herself, Mizore knows who she is. Nozomi makes a dashing appearance and the two walk together towards the school building. By this point, there are already shots of Mizore's legs sitting on the stairs and of Nozomi's feet as she walks, but it is worth noting that the emphasis is both visual and auditory.
1. Disjoint and dichotomy of Nozomi and Mizore
The keyword disjoint is presented. In the context of the overall theme of the work, disjoint refers to the fact that sets in maths have no common parts. The term set is called ensemble in French. The term disjoint is also used to denote an integer with only one common divisor (coprime).
Throughout the film, the relationship between Nozomi and Mizore has no common denominator, although there are contrasts. Nozomi is lively and fast, while Mizore is quiet and walks slowly. Nozomi walks ahead and Mizore chases after her. Nozomi is surrounded by many juniors, and Mizore rejects the few juniors who play the oboe part. Nozomi reads a picture book to interpret "Liz and the Blue Bird", while Mizore reads the novel to understand it in depth. Nozomi is the blue bird and Mizore is Liz.
2. The reflection of Nozomi's flute implies the transience of youth
The relationship between Nozomi and Mizore is shown in this scene without any lines. It is one of Liz's most beautiful scenes. The reflected light from Nozomi's flute caresses Mizore's body. It's a beautiful expression of their communion and passing, happiness and sadness, and it almost overwhelms you with emotion. This scene is portrayed brightly while Nozomi is visible, and darkly when she disappears.
3. The new friendship and their career paths influence Nozomi and Mizore
Nozomi seems to fit in with her classmates and juniors in the flute section, but they don't have a heart-to-heart relationship. Her smile, which is inserted every so often, is acted out and not real. Nozomi had already left the club, so she can't afford to have a problem with the flute part.
Mizore, on the other hand, initially shuts out Ririka and doesn't care what she thinks of her. For Mizore, Nozomi is But Mizore gradually opens her heart to the younger students. Whereas Nozomi's relationships are superficial because she's trying to be the person she's always wanted to be, Mizore's are honest and she creates relationships that allow her to connect with them. The composition of Mizore, who is lonely, and Nozomi, who reaches out to her, is gradually broken.
When Mizore wants to invite younger students to the swimming pool, Nozomi's face clouds for a moment. I wonder how Nozomi feels when she was told this. There is no one from the flute part in the picture of them playing at the pool. This means that Nozomi has no friends in the flute section to invite.
Nozomi slowly faces the reality that she cannot live a life based solely on her dedication to music. She is not a person who can just follow her path. Mizore, on the other hand, has a talent for music that allows her to fly like a bird. Nozomi looks up to her and is filled with bitterness and envy. It may seem like a common problem, but it is this very issue of a career that has dramatically changed their relationship. When Yuko, Natsuki, Nozomi and Mizore are talking about their future in the music room, the desks in the row only where Nozomi is sitting are not arranged properly as if they imply her emotions.
4. Mizore's oboe solo and I Love You Hug
The I Love You Hug scene is the highlight of the film. It tries to bridge the gap between them, but it does not end in an ideal way. In the science room scene, Nozomi's inferiority complex towards Mizore leads her to use self-deprecating language. She's not her usual cheerful self. At least, she hopes for Mizore's endorsement of her skills and efforts in the wind ensemble. However, what Mizore sees is Nozomi herself. Her affections for Nozomi are unconditional and do not affect herself with her skills, practice and effort. Hence, even if Mizore's words are approval of Nozomi, they do not prove the importance of her skills on the flute. In that context, "I like your flute" is the most desired thing Nozomi wants to hear. However, this, still, is only soothing words, and as long as Nozomi stands on the ability-based belief, the problem will never be solved by words. If Nozomi could get over and gain her confidence, it would only be by the fact that she is as great at her instrument as Mizore. But that's something Nozomi has to do on her own. Thus, Mizore can't relieve Nozomi. Ironically, this conversation is taking place in that science room where Mizore was exposed to the reflected light of Nozomi's flute. That memory was supposed to remain beautiful.
For Mizore, the reason why she has continued to play the oboe and has improved is that she doesn't want Nozomi to give up on her. And her technique surpasses Nozomi's. And the reason why he was able to understand the bluebird's feelings and put them into sound was that she was deeply in love with Nozomi. She initially thought she'd keep the bluebird locked up for life. At that point, Mizore was aware that she was playing the role of Liz, and she said that if she could choose, she would never let go of the bluebird, Nozomi. This is a very strong statement for the quiet Mizore. Now that she realised she is like the blue bird and decided to leave Liz (Nozomi) by playing the oboe solo with her entire ability. Because that is what love is. But all the feelings that were born from Mizore's love for Nozomi ended up hurting Nozomi, who loves the flute. How cruel. Because Mizore's love was too deep, Nozomi's heart was shattered.
Nozomi says she doesn't remember any of her past interactions with Mizore, but it's more than likely that she's lying. In her recollections of the first time she approached Mizore to invite her to join the wind ensemble club, Mizore's outline was sharply defined. It suggests that her memory is vivid. Moreover, she tells Mizore she is not the person Mizore thinks she is, and she should be disdained. She feels sorry for pretending to ignore Mizore's love, for thinking it was too heavy, and for looking down on her in some part of her heart. She is fairly aware of the negative side of herself. Nozomi is a person who can regret and reflect on her past actions. In this respect she is likeable.
Aware of each other's paths, Nozomi heads for the library and Mizore for the music room. At this point, their hair is swaying in tempo. In the beginning, only Nozomi's hair was emphasized, but here, the swaying of the back of Mizore's hair is similar to Nozomi's, and it is a description of the change. And outside each room where they are together, a blue bird flies. Not only out of the music room Mizore practices but also outside the library Nozomi studies. It's not just Mizore who could be flying. A Venn diagram appears, and blue and red watercolours erode each other. It suggests a new relationship between the two. Blue and red are the colours of Nozomi and Mizore's eyes respectively.
5. A happy ending and Happy Ice Cream
Their feelings for each other were not equal. But now they have the same weight. It's not just a beautiful feeling. There is not only friendship but also jealousy and dependence. But it is so much better than indifference. And then they leave the school building, the birdcage, and go home. Here, the composition of the beginning is reversed. Nozomi, who is going ahead, is now occupying a lower position than Mizore, who is following behind her. On their way home, they stop in the middle of the stairs and have a conversation, maintaining the same composition. She still tells Mizore she perfectly backs up her oboe solo. Later, as they descend the stairs to level ground, their positions become horizontal, and the synchronicity is accentuated by their simultaneous utterance of the same words.
At the end of the film, Nozomi's and Mizore's hearts find common ground, despite the film's stubborn asymmetry. For the first time, they are united by one thing, "Let's do our best at the contest". For the next few steps, the sound of their footsteps also overlaps with one another.
The days of youth are called seishun in Japanese, and it directly translates as 'blue spring'. The season of blue spring, when the young leaves sprout and grow into a big trunk, passes in an instant, but the experiences of this season remain in their memories forever. Nozomi hopes the story will have a happy ending. It only depends on those girls. However, they still have some time left in high school and a long life ahead of them. Their relationship as girls may be over, but their relationship may continue differently. For Nozomi and Mizore, with an uncertain future ahead of them, this momentary overlap of hearts, this moment when they could believe in all the possibilities.
Lastly, in my wishful thinking, if Nozomi accepts that she can't take the same path as Mizore, if Mizore understands that Nozomi isn't the only one in the world, and if both of them realise and accept their own charms that they can't see at the moment, they will be able to connect with each other through love in the future.
Now i understand the meaning of the name "blue spring ride". This was a manga by io sakisaka, about the love of youth. I never understood why that name...now i do.
Now i understand the meaning of the name "blue spring ride". This was a manga by io sakisaka, about the love of youth. I never understood why that name...now i do.
@@nath7367 Yeah, I know of the manga. It makes sense to name the title.
@@hannahettinger9088 Thanks for the comment. I learnt new concepts: diegetic and non-diegetic music. As for non-diegetic found, the footsteps of Nozomi and Mizore, interestingly, is not created after completed the drawings. But, the soundtrack already has sounds of their footsteps and KyoAni aims to match the pictures to the sounds. At the end of the film, Mizore's footsteps fixed at 100 BPM and Nozomi's fluctuates from 99 and 101 BPM (this is a disjoint relation as well). But only 4 steps could overlap after they say Happy Ice Cream. That is a near coincidence and we can see the hint of a happy ending here.
wow thanks for the insight, essay-kun!
I love the resolution to Nozomi & Mizore’s relationship. I’m reminded of one of the last scenes in A Place Further Than the Universe, wherein upon having to go their separate ways at the train station, Yuzuki asks “Does this mean we won’t be together anymore?”, to which Kimari responds “No, it means we’ll still be together, even when we’re not.”
Ugh how good was that show!? I especially liked the witty reports hahaha. But the best scene for me is when they're on the run, and Kimari starts to laugh as she's feeling her youth and freedom.
As someone who studied Literature in school, Liz and the Blue Bird was an absolute treat because not only could I explore the story itself but it allowed me to dive deeper into the world and other aspects/components that make Liz......well Liz (which interested me more to be completely honest), as aside from the story and the parallels it drew from the fairytale, Liz and the Blue Bird goes much deeper than what it seems on the surface level, its unique and experimental to say the least.
I spent quite a bit of time on this write-up/discussion which is going to be touching on the other aspects/components of Liz and the Blue Bird rather than it's story cause I'll leave that to others who can better describe/analyze it than I can. So giving it a read would be much appreciated!
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Liz and the Blue Bird was directed by Naoko Yamada with the film's music produced by Kensuke Ushio. Apart from Yamada and Ushio, the team that worked on Liz was the same core team that produced Kyoto Animation's previous theatrical work, A Silent Voice (also directed by Yamada), thus taking on a completely different visual and artstyle from its parent franchise, Hibike! Euphonium. This drastic change in style, specifically for the character design (done by Futoshi Nishiya [R.I.P]) better portrays the emotions of the characters in a more gentle way while also giving them an air of maturity and grace, better fitting of the movie's overall tone and emotions.
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Liz and the Blue Bird is what you call a "Visceral Sensory Experience"- Jack (UTS), as it uses its Audial and Visual components to create imagery as it beautifully tells it's story, Liz tells much more of its story through its imagery rather than the words of its characters. Look no further than in the opening scene of the movie where Mizore's sitting on the steps, as the first girl walks into the school, we can only audibly hear her footsteps but as soon as Nozomi walks through the school's gates, the cheerful music starts playing, the birds start chirping, the wind blows as the trees sway and Mizore's entire disposition changes as this opening section of the opening scene portrays Mizore's feeling of happiness and excitement as she sees Nozomi. Note that not a single word was spoken as this happens, not until Nozomi picks up the blue feather at the top of the steps. Mizore's feelings were entirely captured only through its Audial and Visual components of that section of the opening scene.
Another bit of the opening scene where the Audial and Visual components come into play is when Nozomi and Mizore were walking towards the school's music room, their footsteps, both in the sound and visually, already gives us an entry into their personality, Nozomi being the cheerful and energetic of the two whereas Mizore is the reserved and quiet one, we can explicitly hear and see the differences in their footsteps that separates them as two different characters.
As for the film's music, Yamada and Ushio decided to use objects that can be found in a school to produce its tracks while also recording themselves doing things (i.e. recording their footsteps, tapping the school chairs etc.) around the school area where Kitauji is based on. The uniqueness of the tracks add much more depth and emotions to Liz than it already is. It is the attention to detail Yamada and Ushio put in that makes the music of Liz special.
In Liz, Yamada takes a risk by re-shaping an already established franchise and world of Hibike! into a completely different work. Whereas the world of Hibike! was vast and contained various places based in Kyoto, Liz's entire movie pretty much takes place only inside Kitauji High School, this makes sense as much like the fairytale land is the domain of Liz and the Blue Bird, the school is the world of Nozomi and Mizore, there's no world outside of Kitauji High School that Nozomi and Mizore share.
One might criticize the lack of diversity in the world of Liz but the movie makes fantastic and smart use of its limited space in the school by making it as isolated and restrictive as possible, or as open as the universe can be to tell it's story. The scene of Nozomi with Natsuki in the classroom where Nozomi asks "Has Mizore said anything?" is telling to how the limited space in Kitauji High School shared by Nozomi and Mizore can still be the same space where Nozomi and Mizore become distant from each other.
Windows (specifically the shadows of it) of Kitauji High School surprisingly play a role in Liz, it acts as a cage for birds, for the Blue Bird of course. An example of this would be when Mizore says to Yuuko:
"I mean, I don't know when Nozomi will leave me again. I can't push her away. Not with my own hands. I can never release her myself. There's just no way",
the camera pans to the wall where a section of a window's shadow is shown. Note how that section of the window's shadow is small and restrictive, to represent a cage where Mizore (who sees herself as Liz) cannot open to let the Blue Bird free.
Note also the different colour tones used in different scenes in the movie to capture Nozomi and Mizore's relationship as it develops or progresses throughout the story. Like how when they're both distant from each other, the overall colour tones of each scene have a blueish, cooler and mellow feel to it. But during the what I would like to call the "confession scene", the colour tone becomes warmer as the sunlight angles into the science lab and brings brightness to the overall scene. The use of differing colour tones to capture the mood of a specific scene and the emotions of the characters is quite brilliant in my eyes, very reminiscent of the train scenes in A Silent Voice with Shoko and Shoya.
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Something to point out here from a technical standpoint,
One of the most beautiful scene or part of the film was the abstract Blue Bird that flew into the distance during the Third Movement as Mizore unleashes her full potential of her Oboe skills. That abstract Blue Bird was made using the technique of Decalcomania which is the art of pressing paint on paper and folding it to create mirroring images. The results were stunning and although the two sides of the bird look of the same at first glance, it's actually slightly different. This is significant as it communicates to us how the shape of Mizore's love for Nozomi is different to the shape of Nozomi's love for Mizore, like how Yamada puts it:
"But I don't think it's just that the shapes are missing each other. It's a bit like two cogs of different sizes coming together for a brief moment. I wanted to depict this moment between the two in a hopeful manner"
The importance of the abstract Blue Bird doesn't stop there as it also represents the two different dynamics between Nozomi and Mizore, both musically and in their friendship, which again emphasizes the importance of the mirroring images of the abstract Blue Bird because not only it represents the shape of Nozomi's and Mizore's love for each other, but its there to illustrate the two differing dynamics between the both of them.
- In terms of their friendship, Mizore views Nozomi as the bubbly, outgoing and extroverted person, much like how the Blue Bird is in the fairytale and thus Mizore being the shy, quiet and introvert she is, sees herself as Liz.
- But in a musical setting, Mizore is clearly the better and internally, Nozomi knows this but doesn't communicate it to Mizore when they're playing the Third Movement which in consequence of this, Mizore again sees herself as Liz even in a musical setting, unable to unleash her full potential as a highly skilled Oboe player, almost as if she's trapped inside a cage like a bird as Mizore wants to be on equal ground with Nozomi.
(Like in the Fairytale, the Blue Bird only flies out at night when Liz is asleep but still comes back as she sees Liz as her equal and also in the fear that she'll leave Liz behind and making her lonely)
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Liz and the Blue Bird is the result of and represents the insanely talented, daring and creative minds of Kyoto Animation wanting to be different from the others in the industry. The face of this is of course Yamada who wanted to test the limits of what she could do as a director and confidently took on this risk, a franchise film that strays away from its own franchise and often unrecognisable from its original show but it's a film that has its own personal touch and love given to it, a little bit personal if you ask me. If anything, it made me love Hibike! Euphonium even more and cementing it as My No.1 Anime Series/Franchise of all time.
As a whole, Liz and the Blue Bird is no doubt another Kyoto Animation masterpiece, an experimental one that is, but what's interesting about it is that it's a masterpiece that's not for everyone, only those who can truly understand and appreciate the depth of Liz will be able to wholeheartedly value it as one.
END.
I enjoyed reading the review on the production side. This film is a masterpiece not just because of the story, but also the production, direction, and music. If a film is only for fun, it will be forgotten one day. But this one, with its honest portrayal of the characters' hearts and its universal themes, and its room for reflection, will stay with you forever.
So fun fact the entire staff from the director, script-writer, animation director, character designer and composer is the same as A Silent Voice. Naoko Yamada is a masterclass anime director and I'm really happy she got way more experimental compare to A Silent Voice. Also yes this was adapted from one of the two books (not light novels) of the second year focusing on Mizore and Nozomi. The other book is adapted in the next movie which goes back to the usual staff of the TV show.
Such a masterpiece, not just one of my favorite anime movies, but one of my favorite movies overall.
This movie nails the complexity of the fine line between a genuine friendship and unrequited love.
I watched this movie without having seen the anime, a lot because I didn't even know there was an anime, but still, in the solo scene, I just started crying, it's a movie that whether you know the anime or not, it makes you feel a lot .
At the beginning, Nozomi says she prefers stories with a happy ending when commenting about the story of Liz and the bluebird. She said this because at that time she believes that that story has a sad ending since the bluebird parts way with Liz. However, at the end of the movie, she decides to part ways with Mizore by not attending music school with her because she realized that the story of Liz actually have a good ending. She and Mizore are both inspired by the story and actively decided to have their happy end, or in this case, their new beginning. In my two cents, this is what this movie wants to convey: inspiration comes from our own interpretation and observation and this movie is a perfect example of that in which you can dig as deep as you want and you still find something new to appreciate. Kyoani truly elevates art unlike anyone else.
YEEESSS IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!!! THIS IS LITERALLY MY FAVORITE MOVIE IM SO GLAD THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE IT!!!
I have a lot of things to say about this movie... but there's one in particular i truly like. I loved how kumiko and reina played the solo. I mean, it also feels like it was reina's idea to show mizore how it could sound, or maybe they were just having fun! No matter how, it worked. It showed mizore and nozomi how beautiful that solo is, but also it protrayed how a healthy and balanced friendship looks like. So simple, yet so powerful!
The moment I saw the opening walk between Mizore and Nozomi and how it plays with the music in the background I just knew I’m gonna absolutely love this movie(which turned out to be true as this is one of my top 5-ish anime movies and Nr 1 that you can watch as a stand-alone without prior knowledge of the show it’s connecting to).
You could literally watch only this one small scene as a short film and still get an incredible experience, there’s just so much character in it, and the visual and sound directing are phenomenal (which shouldn’t be a question considering who directed this).
Few minutes into the reaction and I’m already loving the discussion on who’s the bird and who’s Liz.
„I love this awkward girl“. Isn’t Ririka just a treasure?^^
Also fun fact: the voice actress for both Liz and the blue bird girl was not even 14 at the time of filming this.
„I think those were tears welling up in her eyes“. I think those were tears welling up in everyone’s eyes that watched this film. The buildup to the solo, the solo itself with Mizore taking the initiative and their confession, just everything, is perfect down to the last bit. They are finally communicating.
This is one hell of a masterpiece of a movie but I really can’t wait to see your reaction to the solo next week. If you do not cry there, you are not human ^^
And the scene and the walk toward the end paralleling the beginning. Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. Just. Brilliant!
No matter how many praises I’d give it they’ll never be enough to do the praises this deserves justice.
i watch this movie randomly before i know hibike series, this is one of my favorite movie
Yooo i have no idea this on you guys's list!!
RIP to Futoshi Nishiya. His character designs in Hyouka, Silent Voice, and this movie really nailed that down-to-earth feel. I love a lot of KyoAni's other styles but his style fits best for their more grounded works imo.
I thought Mizore/Nozomi's arc in the TV show was kinda weak, but this movie makes up for it. I actually saw this film before seeing season 2.
This movie is a true masterpiece ig I have ever seen one.It just has so much character with each little movements
Wonderful movie. I've been looking forward to this reaction just as much as Hibike in it's entirety. And yeah... Ushio went above and beyond for this movie. The OST is incredible.
I've replied to one of the long comments here, but for some reason, it was not posted. Might be because the g word is censored. So, I just post a new comment here...
Awesome writeup. One of the reasons why I love Kyoani, especially Yamada's works is because they reward deliberate articulation/meticulous thinking, meaning that the more you think about them, the more you enjoy them. They respect viewer's intelligence and expect them to think beyond what is presented. In my view, one of the heights of craftmanship is the ability to 'sprinkle' a few peculiar hints that doesn't flow well with the rest of the materials - a well hidden but important messages.
For example, after the Nozomi's and Mizore's 'parallel walk' scene near the end, when Nozomi starts her study session and Mizore starts her practice session, there's a peculiar split second cut of a blurred white line. I take it as their way of saying that the line of distinction between who is Liz and who is bluebird has been blurred, both of them are equally significant to each other. It can also means that the line between present and future has been dissolved, this is their turning point and a key decision that they have made in their life.
The second example is the weird gesture that Nozomi made after the love hug scene. Nozomi is the kind of person who say what people want to hear, not what in their heart. Notice that in the entire film, she never once said 'I love you Mizore'. This doesn't mean she doesn't like her, as we all aware but this particular gesture implies that Nozomi loves Mizore so much that she can eat her, and illustrates Kyoani's mastery of visual characterization. And the last example is the part where Nozomi said '..., why did you teach me how to open the cage' when quoting the book. This is one of my favourite scenes because of the way it frames Nozomi overlooking the wide landscape from the top of the hill, suggesting that her worldview has been opened up by the revelation of Liz's decision. It is a powerful scene because from that point both of them are finally free from each other's bind and they know exactly what needs to be done.
this is definitely best film in my life
i was nonstop crying last 30 minute
in this movie, there is lot of mizore's happy and anxiety
when i start thinking about this movie, my mental will be break everytime
Having been in Nozomi's situation a couple times, its really hard to try and understand someone so emotionally vulnerable yet also emotionally uninteligent. How do you manouver around them without hurting them? How do you understand what they want or where are they coming from? Blind devotion can be a terrifying thing to face. She tried time and again to reach out, but when there was no response, she pulled back assuming she was in the wrong, not because she was, but because she had already hurt her in the past and didn't want to do that again. It would be cruel to demand a better reaction from a teenage girl who isn't even sure if she is dealing with her friend's codependancy, or quiet resentment, or unrequited love, all the while harvoring her own issues about the whole relationship and the future.
As for Mizore, this movie finally allowed me to come to understand and appreciate her character. During the show, I was so often mad at her inmaturity and outrageously childish behavior. I thought of her as an annoyance and an obstacle rather than a person. It took this movie for me to finally understand her struggle. Where I thought there was selfishness, I found a deep and engulfing love. When I had previously criticized her indecisiveness, I now have come to applaud her boldness. She grew up and realied what she wanted, and was not afraid to put it out there for the whole world to see, specially for Nozomi, and most of all for herself. This is the reason we tell stories about adolescense, because it is these stories that allow us to see a child leave the past behind and transform into an adult, taking flight for the first time.
Kimi no Na wa was my favorite romance that ended without a kiss. Then I watched Liz to Aoi Tori.
Was this a romance???
24:35 THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME
I thought that this is just a cool movie after I watched it, I found out that this is related to hibike euphonium
damn I just finished this the other day. truly a beautiful story both visually and thematically
FYI Hibike is a regular novel, not a light novel
But I think Liz and the Blue Bird is an anime original. Not sure though.
1:03:53 As Adam Neely would say : Repetition legitimizes
Reaction starts at 1:43.
Discussion starts at 24:09.
Both movie was directed by Naoko Yamada , but I like this movie than Silent Voice, tbh. This whole story fit so well in a movie, not too complicated with a lot of characters in Silent Voice. I have to read manga to fully understand the story after finish Silent Voice. Meanwhile right after Liz and Blue Bird's credit rolled, I'm speechless and cried.
this is my favorite movie of all time...
y'all said you wanted to read the light novel.. this movie is mostly original. The major plot events of this movie do happen in the hibike! euphonium novels, but they're told from kumiko's perspective, much like it happens in season 2 of the series. This story, told like this with the kind of deep emotional exploration focusing specifically on these two was something that Naoko Yamada brought to the table 'cause she loves them a lot.
also, y'all said that nozomi was a better communicator but at the start of the movie i don't think mizore or nozomi are good communicators. nozomi is better at *talking* which is why she can have lots of friends other than mizore, but she isn't able to communicate her jealousy and emotions to mizore.. which causes mizore to be hurt when she tries to reach out in the middle section of the film...
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RRACTING TO THIS
I really hope we get to see Naoko Yamada get to make another film or series. I don't throw "next Miyazaki" around lightly but I really do think she's worthy of that title.
She's not "the next Miyazaki", she *IS Naoko Yamada.*
@@jnliewmichael4235 I 100% agree
When i watch you reaction, i think i miss some detail. Maybe you are too sensitive but i love it and i realize i am too heartless
The movie's gorgeous in a number of ways, but personally I don't know how I feel about the ending. Not so much what happened in the end, but where it ended. It felt like the movie was building up to some kind of significant change in their relationship, be it them getting closer or drifting apart, but the movie ended very close to how it began.
That said, the rest of the movie? Fantastic. The final performance legitimately felt like a dialogue scene, between the facial animation and the tone of the instruments. It's difficult to express. The back-and-forth felt very tangible in a way that purely instrumental pieces rarely feel to me.
Does anyone know where to watch this?
🎺18:06🎶
リズと青い鳥
Movie timee??Makes me excited thinking we could see a Your Name reaction
Zombieland Saga S2 when??
My favorite movie:
i love kyoani
Yay I get to watch the movie for free.
And then please react to Hibike Euphonium Movie 3, it is a continuation of Hibike Euphonium Season 2 when Kumiko was in grade 3 🙏👍🔥
girls，dance，staircase
🙀🙀 yes yes yesssssss
Can you please react to Fruits Basket?
Please react to "Violet Evergarden: The Movie"
Guys, you totally get it. I was one of those who said "wait, what? Didn't this two make up?" I thought for around 4 years (i just saw it recently) that after episode 5 they became bff again! i was surprised by how toxic, unbalanced and distant their friendship still was after all. Really shocking for me and i was so confused, to the point at the beggining i didn't like the movie.. But...i guess how real life is after all.
pls react to Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro and zombieland saga season 2
if you really like kensuke ushio works i recommend you boogiepop (2019) anime
Since its Pride Month, maybe you could do reactions that are friendly to the LGBT Community