Tsuki no Waltz
 | This article includes a list of generalreferences,butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations.(May 2019) |
| Tsuki no Waltz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Atsuko Ishizuka |
| Written by | Atsuko Ishizuka |
| Music by | Vocals by Mio Isayama Composition by Mio Isayama Arrangement by Jun Abe Lyrics by Reiko Yukawa |
Release date |
|
Running time | 4 minutes 40 seconds |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Budget | Unknown |
Tsuki no Waltz(Nguyệt の ワルツ,lit.Waltz of the Moon)is a 2004 Japaneseanimemusic videocreated for the popularNHKprogramMinna no Utaby directorAtsuko IshizukaandStudio Madhouse.
Production
[edit]Minna no Uta,a showcase for independent Japanese animators and musicians presented on thepublic broadcastingnetworkNHK,had taken notice of Atsuko Ishizuka while she was still in college. Initially a student of graphic design, Ishizuka had taken to animation and produced several short films entirely on her own before being hired by Madhouse. It was shortly after being hired thatMinna no Utacontacted her to direct a music video for their program. Convinced by theMinna no Utastaff, Madhouse promoted the low-ranking Ishizuka (then a production assistant) to director, and lent the studio's resources to the production.
After production was completed, the music video was shown onMinna no Utabroadcasts from the beginning of October through November 2004.[1][2]Its success later prompted NHK to order another short from Ishizuka and Madhouse,Sen no Hana Sen no Sora,in 2005.
Animation Style
[edit]The film is animated in Ishizuka's "moving sketch" style, giving the short the look of a hand drawn and colored pencil work. The animation and designs are not smooth or 'cleaned up,' giving them a rougher feel. This is stylistic continuation of Ishizuka's earlier solo worksCREMONAandGravitation,and has traditionally been a style more often seen in independent world animation rather than studio-produced anime. The animation itself was done by Madhouse veteran Yoshinori Kanemori.[3]Despite the appearance,Tsuki no Waltzwas done in much the same way as Madhouse's normal anime, using the technique of digital ink & paint for the coloring. Great care was taken to disguise and cover these modern productions aids and ensure that the film look as hand-crafted and individual to Ishizuka's style as possible.
Music
[edit]
The song of the same name which the short was animated to was composed and sung by the young musical vocalistMio Isayama.The song was later released as Isayama's 8th single on December 1, 2004. The lyrics were penned byReiko Yukawa,long known in Japan as a prominent music critic, and the arrangements were byJun Abe,known for composing the music of the popular animeKodomo no OmochaandFruits Basket.
Reception
[edit]According to Benjamin Ettinger of AniPages Daily, Ishizuka received "literally thousands of posts on the BBS at her home page" afterTsuki no Waltzwas aired.[2]Ettinger himself called the film "probably among the best pieces made for the showMinna no Utain the last few years. "[2]The film was also popular enough to receive a home video release.
DVD release
[edit]As is the case for most of theMinna no Utashorts,Tsuki no Waltzwas not originally intended for home video release. Nevertheless, on March 30, 2005, its popularity among fans of the program warranted the short's inclusion on theMinna no Uta Best Hit CollectionDVD (Catalog No.: TOBF-5372).
References
[edit]- ^Ishizuka, Atsuko."Nguyệt の ワルツ - いしづかあつこ (Tsuki no Waltz - Atsuko Ishizuka)".Atsuko Ishizuka(in Japanese). Archived fromthe originalon 2007-12-17.Retrieved2009-08-02.
- ^abcEttinger, Benjamin (2005-04-15)."Kin no Makiba".AniPages Daily.Retrieved2009-08-02.
- ^Ettinger, Benjamin (2004-10-20)."Mankatsu & Minna no Uta".AniPages Daily.Retrieved2009-06-11.
External links
[edit]- Atsuko Ishizuka's Homepage -Tsuki no Waltz(in Japanese)
