Wikipedia

Sing a Bit of Harmony

Sing a Bit of Harmony(Japanese:アイの ca thanh を thính かせて,Hepburn:Ai no Utagoe o Kikasete,lit. 'Let Me Hear Ai's Singing Voice')is a 2021Japanese animatedslice of lifescience fiction[1]film, produced byJ.C.Staffand directed byYasuhiro Yoshiura.It premiered in Japan in October 2021.

Sing a Bit of Harmony
Theatrical release poster
Japanese name
Kanjiアイの ca thanh を thính かせて
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnAi no Utagoe o Kikasete
Directed byYasuhiro Yoshiura
Screenplay by
Story byYasuhiro Yoshiura
Starring
Music byRyo Takahashi
Production
company
Distributed byShochiku
Release date
  • October 29, 2021(2021-10-29)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

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The film takes place in a unspecified near future in a small Japanese town, which the technology company Hoshima uses as test site for multipleAIcontrolled systems and robot. The story follows high school student Satomi Amano, who lives with her mother, Mitsuko Amano, a Hoshima-employed AI specialist.

After a past incident, Satomi is isolated at school, shunned by her classmates, and estranged from her childhood friend, Tо̄ma Suzaki. Her mother is preparing a secret test of a newly developed AI system, which is supposed to be indistinguishable from humans. In this test, the AI is to spend a few days in Satomi's class in a realistic looking robotic body as exchange student Shion Ashimori. Shortly after having been introduced to the class, Shion surprises everyone by recognising Satomi, asking her whether she is happy, and breaking into song.

In the following days, Shion is bent on making Satomi happy. She helps Satomi find friends, helps these friends with their own problems, and goes on to fix Satomi's relationship to Tōma, all with the power of song. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that someone mysteriously manipulates the recordings of the school's security system and Shion's telemetry results to hide Shion's unconventional behavior from Hoshima.

When the company eventually gets wind of this, Shion is violently taken in and prepared for deletion, and all the devices containing footage and memories of Shion are seized. Following the discovery that Shion is a modified AI gifted to Satomi by Tо̄ma when they were children, Satomi, Mitsuko, and her friends decide to rescue her, and break in to Hoshima. They are confronted by Hoshima's security, but Satomi and her friends take Shion to the roof of the building, where Tо̄ma links Shion to the building's antenna. Shion uploads herself to a satellite. Encouraged by Shion, who is watching over Satomi from orbit, Satomi and Tо̄ma reconcile.

Characters

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Shion Ashimori(Lô sâm thi âm,Ashimori Shion)/ Shion(シオン)
Voiced by:Tao Tsuchiya[2](Japanese);Megan Shipman[3](English)
Satomi Amano(Thiên dã thông mỹ,Amano Satomi)/ Satomi(サトミ)
Voiced by:Haruka Fukuhara[2](Japanese); Risa Mei[3](English)
Tо̄ma Suzaki(Tố kỳ thập chân,Suzaki Tо̄ma)/ Tо̄ma(トウマ)
Voiced by:Asuka Kudo[2](Japanese); Jordan Dash Cruz[3](English)
Sadayuki Gotō(Hậu đằng định hành,Gotō Sadayuki)/ Gotchan(ゴッちゃん)
Voiced by:Kazuyuki Okitsu[2](Japanese);Ian Sinclair[3](English)
Aya Satō(Tá đằng lăng,Satō Aya)/ Aya(アヤ)
Voiced by:Mikako Komatsu[2](Japanese);Alexis Tipton[3](English)
Koichiro Sugiyama(Sam sơn 絋 nhất lang,Sugiyama Kōichirō)/ Thunder(サンダー,Sandā)
Voiced by:Satoshi Hino[2](Japanese); Kamen Casey[3](English)
Mitsuko Amano(Thiên dã mỹ tân tử)
Voiced by:Sayaka Ohara[4](Japanese); Laila Berzins[3](English)
Nomiyama(Dã kiến sơn)
Voiced by:Kenji Hamada[4](Japanese); Richard L. Olsen[3](English)
Saijō(Tây thành)
Voiced by:Kenjiro Tsuda[4](Japanese);David Wald[3](English)

Production

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Sing a Bit of Harmonywas announced byFunimation,as a co-production withJ.C.Staff,on September 10, 2020.[5]The film was directed byYasuhiro Yoshiura.Yoshiura andIchirō Ōkouchico-wrote the script, Kanna Kii drew the original character designs, Shuichi Shimamura designed the characters for animation and is also the chief supervising animator, and Hidekazu Shimamura served as supervising animator.[5][6]Ryo Takahashicomposed the music and Yohei Matsui wrote the songs.[6]On April 6, 2021, Funimation posted a trailer for the film.[6]

Release

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Sing a Bit of Harmonypremiered in Japan on October 29, 2021.[4]The film had its international premiere on October 2, 2021, at theScotland Loves Animationfilm festival, held at theGlasgow Film Theatre.[7]Funimationscreened the film, in both subbed and dubbed formats, in the United States and Canada on January 23, 25, and 26; in Australia and New Zealand starting on January 27; in the United Kingdom and Ireland starting on January 28.[8][9][10]

Manga adaptation

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Amangaadaptation, illustrated by Megumu Maeda, was serialized inKodansha'sseinenmangamagazineMonthly Afternoonfrom June 24, 2021,[11][12]to July 25, 2022.[13][14]Its firsttankōbonvolume was released on October 21, 2021.[15]

Reception

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In October 2021,Sing a Bit of Harmonywon the Audience Award at theScotland Loves Animationfilm festival.[16]It is also won the Best Animation Film Award at the New York City Film & Television Festival 2021,[17]entered finalist of New York Animation Film Awards 2021 Best Animation Feature Film.[18]In Japan, it is also nominated for the Excellent Animation of the Year in Japan Academy Film Prize 2022.[19]

References

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  1. ^Davis, Victoria (January 21, 2022)."'Sing a Bit of Harmony': The Rise of Music in Anime ".Animation World Network.Archivedfrom the original on February 11, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 11,2022.
  2. ^abcdefMateo, Alex (April 6, 2021)."Funimation, J.C. Staff's Sing a Bit of Harmony Original Anime Film Unveils Trailer, Cast, Staff".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on April 6, 2021.RetrievedJune 24,2021.
  3. ^abcdefghiMateo, Alex (December 14, 2021)."Sing a Bit of Harmony Film's English Dub Cast, January Release Date Briefly Listed".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on December 14, 2021.RetrievedDecember 14,2021.
  4. ^abcdPineda, Rafael Antonio (July 14, 2021)."Sing a Bit of Harmony Anime's Trailer Reveals More Cast, October 29 Opening".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on July 15, 2021.RetrievedJuly 15,2021.
  5. ^abPineda, Rafael Antonio (September 10, 2020)."Funimation, J.C. Staff Co-produce Sing a Bit of Harmony Original Anime Film".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on June 24, 2021.RetrievedJune 24,2021.
  6. ^abc"Funimation Co-Production 'Sing a Bit of Harmony' Reveals Latest Trailer, First Cast Info".FunimationviaAnime News Network.April 7, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on June 24, 2021.RetrievedJune 24,2021.
  7. ^Osmond, Andrew (August 25, 2021)."Scotland Loves Anime Glasgow Line-Up Confirmed".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on November 9, 2021.RetrievedNovember 9,2021.
  8. ^Dempsey, Liam (December 14, 2021)."Sing a Bit of Harmony Reveals English Dub Cast and Release Date".Funimation.Archivedfrom the original on December 15, 2021.RetrievedDecember 14,2021.
  9. ^Mateo, Alex (December 14, 2021)."Funimation Announces Sing a Bit of Harmony Film's English Dub Cast, January Release Date (Updated)".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on December 20, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 13,2022.
  10. ^Osmond, Andrew (January 24, 2022)."Sing a Bit of Harmony Opens in U.K. and Ireland Cinemas on Friday".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on January 24, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 24,2022.
  11. ^Pineda, Rafael Antonio (June 24, 2021)."Funimation, J.C. Staff's Sing a Bit of Harmony Anime Film Gets Manga".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on June 24, 2021.RetrievedJune 24,2021.
  12. ^Y liệu ソーシャルワーカー miêu く tân liên tái ＆ “アイの ca thanh を thính かせて” マンガ bản がアフタで.Comic Nalalie(in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. June 24, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2022.RetrievedJuly 6,2021.
  13. ^Yoshiura, Yasuhiro [@yoshiura_rikka](July 21, 2022).アフタヌーン9 nguyệt hào にて mạn họa bản 『#アイの ca thanh を thính かせて』ついに hoàn kết! Tiền điền めぐむさん, tố tình らしいコミカライズをありがとうございました!(Tweet) (in Japanese).RetrievedSeptember 10,2022– viaTwitter.
  14. ^アフタヌーン 2022 niên 9 nguyệt hào.Monthly Afternoon(in Japanese).Kodansha.Archivedfrom the original on May 22, 2023.RetrievedMay 22,2023.
  15. ^ポンコツなAIが chức りなすハートフルストーリー “アイの ca thanh を thính かせて” マンガ bản 1 quyển.Comic Natalie(in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. October 21, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on November 6, 2021.RetrievedNovember 6,2021.
  16. ^Hazra, Adriana (October 31, 2021)."Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, Sing a Bit of Harmony Anime Films Win Scotland Loves Anime Festival Awards".Anime News Network.Archivedfrom the original on November 18, 2021.RetrievedNovember 9,2021.
  17. ^"Funimation Co-Production" Sing a Bit of Harmony "Reveals Newest Trailer".Anime News Network.September 11, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on July 8, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 24,2022.
  18. ^"sing-a-bit-of-harmony Nominations and Awards".Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd.2022.Archivedfrom the original on March 24, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 11,2022.
  19. ^"Belle, Evangelion 3.0+1.0, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Nikuko, Sing a Bit of Harmony, More Nominated for 45th Japan Academy Film Prizes".Anime News Network.January 18, 2022.Archivedfrom the original on January 18, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 11,2022.
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