Students and best friends Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki prepare to play a complex musical duet,
Liz and the Blue Bird, for oboe and flute. Though they play beautifully together and have been
friends since childhood, Mizore and Nozomi find that with graduation looming and the duet proving
difficult, their friendship begins to buckle under the pressure. Interspersed with their story is the
fantasy tale of Liz, drawn like a storybook, contrasting with the crisp realism of the school.
(Source: Shout! Factory)
Liz and the Blue Bird is a side story to Sound! Euphonium. This anime also works well as a standalone film so you will still enjoy this anime film even if you haven't watched Sound! Euphonium. The collaboration of Naoko Yamada as a director and Reiko Yoshida as the screenwriter is a match made in heaven. They also worked together on A Silent Voice, another fantastic anime film so it is to no surprise that Liz and the Blue Bird is a great anime film. Yoshida is a fantastic screenwriter and knows how to blend in metaphors and bring the story and animation together to make a cohesive and beautiful anime film. It was nice to see the characters and the setting in Sound! Euphonium brought back into Liz and the Blue Bird. Liz and the Blue Bird is impressively well-written and is also guided with grace with Yamada's direction. It's a familiar yet refreshing take on Sound! Euphonium. Liz and the Blue Bird gives you the illusion of peacefulness while slowly giving you hints of a sad and heartbreaking ending that is inevitable. The film slowly becomes intentionally predictable but slowly makes its way to the ending to torture the audience and to give the audience a taste of the emotions felt by the two main characters. Sound! Euphonium. More like yuri bait! Liz and the Blue Bird does not shy away from the yuri bait and I am easily swayed by the slightest yuri bait. I love it! The animation by Kyoto Animation is great as always. Everything from the character designs to the musical instruments looks dazzling. Kyoto Animation is one of the best anime studios out there in terms of animation style and quality. Anime produced by Kyoto Animation just look so gorgeous. I liked how this film has a different animation style when the story swaps over to the actual story of "Liz and the Blue Bird". It is intentionally different to make it obvious to the audience that that part of the film is just a separate story yet it links to the main story in a metaphorical and slight physical way. The use of animation in this film is very creative. The sound design and score in this film are absolutely phenomenal! I love the soothing sound of the score. The ending theme is great too! There is a contrast between Liz and the Blue Bird and Sound! Euphonium. The two main characters in Sound! Euphonium are Kumiko Oumae and Reina Kousaka who play the euphonium and trumpet respectively. They are brass instruments which are loud and bright in tone colour giving that obvious happy and energetic tone to the score in Sound! Euphonium. The main characters in Liz and the Blue Bird are Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki who play the oboe and flute respectively. They are both woodwind instruments which are soft and airy in tone colour giving that peaceful and relaxing tone to the score in Liz and the Blue Bird. Sound! Euphonium focuses more on the euphonium and Oumae’s character. Oumae is an extrovert while Kousaka is an introvert. Liz and the Blue Bird focuses more on the oboe and Yoroizuka’s character. Yoroizuka is an introvert while Kasaki is an extrovert. The contrast between the instruments in the two anime and the differences that the instruments represent with the characters is one of many details in this film which I picked up on and thought it was a nice touch to this music anime film being a side story to Sound! Euphonium. Liz and the Blue Bird has a more laid back feeling compared to Sound! Euphonium and this is represented by the character development, the types of instruments being focussed on, and the score. The voice acting in this anime film is great as expected. Liz and the Blue Bird has great character development. Since it is a side story to Sound! Euphonium, Liz and the Blue Bird already has character development backed up from the anime series and just needed to focus on side characters who were not already focussed on in the anime series. I like the contrast between this anime film and the parent anime series. There are similarities between the characters in both anime as well. The “true” main character in these two anime have different personalities but they both have friendships, or more than that, with another girl with a completely opposite personality. These two anime show relationships between two opposing personalities but contrasts with the focused main character. It’s different, yet so similar and familiar. This film has new characters that aren’t in the anime series, that being Liz and the blue bird. Their characters are symbolic of everything from the music to the relationships in this film. I like the intrinsic link between the storytelling and the events that happen in the film. I wish that the film gave more screen time to Ririka Kenzaki as she was another girl in the band that played a reed instrument and that the film would be longer as a result. This film is not very long, with a run time of 90 minutes. I wish this film was longer, but regardless, the screenplay in this film is great. Overall, Liz and the Blue Bird is a well-written anime film that has great direction, great animation, great voice acting, a great score, and great character development. It was enjoyable to watch and it’s nice to see Yamada and Yoshida collaborating together on another anime film. Kyoto Animation has been pumping out great anime. It was nice to see the universe in Sound! Euphonium once again in a reimagined story with a different feel. Check this one out, especially if you have watched Sound! Euphonium.
[FR] Ce film est très très doux et très important. Au début nous pouvons être un peu perturbés par les graphismes qui sont très différents de la série ___Sound! Euphonium___ et de sa deuxième saison mais on s'y fait très vite. Cela ne dérange pas vraiment car ils restent magnifiques, cette beauté n'est pas étonnante venant du studio d'animation Kyoto Animation. Il ne cesse de nous épater. Il y a deux histoires dans ce film, celle avec Liz et l'Oiseau bleu et celle avec Nozomi Kasaki et Mizore Yoroizuka. Nous pouvons voir leur relation évoluer dans la saison deux de Hibike! Euphonium et cette relation est détaillée et est expliquée d'une manière différente dans ___Liz and the Blue Bird___. Dans l'anime, c'était plus du dégoût mais ici nous pouvons parfaitement voir l'admiration qu'a Mizore pour Nozomi, le hautbois qui aime la flûte. Malgré la timidité de Mizore et le fait qu'elle soit introvertie, ce qui peut agacer certaine personne, elle reste adorable et fait de son possible pour que ce duo d'instrument à vent marche correctement et devienne parfait. Nozomi est très populaire, surtout avec les étudiantes de première année et est très occupée, elle ne reste donc pas souvent avec Mizore et nous pouvons avoir de l'empathie pour elle. Les graphismes sont apaisants et très doux, c'est comme si nous regardions une oeuvre d'art pendant 1h30. Le contraste entre les dessins modernes de l'histoire avec Nozomi et Mizore et les fonds à l'aquarelle avec Liz et l'Oiseau bleu est surprenant. Mais nous plonge entièrement dans le comte. img(https://i.gyazo.com/da92b0b8748674c54f83b0e3a716af37.png) img(https://i.gyazo.com/73f3c7a24cd6a6b51527c1d3150f0669.jpg) Avec ces screens nous pouvons voir la différence. Surprenante mais très agréable. Les transitions entre l'histoire réelle et inventée sont liées. Un événement est expliqué par un passage du livre comme si Nozomi et Mizore étaient les protagonistes de leur propre histoire, ce qui est le cas. Les OST sont sublimes, il faut donc tendre l'oreille pour ne louper aucune note. Le troisième mouvement est mis en avant de nombreuses fois et va parfaitement avec la thématique du film. Voici la scène du film où nous pouvons l'entendre entièrement: ~!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUMlCKRUqcw!~ Je vous conseil à 100% de regarder ce film et si possible avec la meilleure qualité qu'il soit ! Laissez vous hypnotiser par les graphismes et endormir par les magnifiques musiques. (Ceci est ma première review, merci d'être indulgent !)
Liz to Aoi Tori is a masterpiece of filmwork with an immense amount of effort dedicated to its creation and refinery. The story is much deeper than what it appears as on the surface. I'm not one for "whoa dude this is soooo deep" sorts of media, but it doesn't feel anything like the creators of Liz to Aoi Tori were stretching themselves beyond their realistic capabilities as writers to seem "deep". I think watching this halfheartedly out of mere boredom lends oneself to really not appreciating what Liz to Aoi Tori has to offer in its entirety. The storyline is not captivating or entertaining in a traditional sense, instead, it is very human and emotional. Due to this, I really don't think a solid storyline is possible to attribute to this film. The focus for the entire film is the relationship between two friends that feels as fragile and unpredictable as a feather in a hurricane. Liz to Aoi Tori is an unrelenting torrent of many grittily realistic emotions that easily ensnares its viewers into feeling. The writers saw an untapped reserve of potential between two supporting characters in the Hibike! Euphonium series, and they squeezed every last drop out of that potential. The story of Liz to Aoi Tori and the overall relationship of Mizore and Nozomi transcends traditional storytelling to flourish as an admirable masterpiece of anime and film. Of course, such a beautiful story could not go unsupported by equally beautiful art and sound design. Artistically, there's so much to be said about Liz to Aoi Tori that I'm simply just not qualified to talk about. Symbolism and artstyle were focused on to a pinpoint by the absolute masters working at Kyoto Animation. Certain aspects were modified from Hibike! Euphonium such as the linework to fit in line with the more mature and emotionally weighted themes of Liz to Aoi Tori. After recently viewing some very poorly animated anime, I truly appreciate the effort put into seemingly simple scenes on paper such as walking animations and the immense amount of effort and soul poured into animating realistic and emotional facial expressions, especially when the majority of the film relies solely on emotional expression. The setting for the film is split only between the Kitauji high school and the world within a watercolor storybook. The contrast in artstyle and setting between these two worlds is very deliberate and impactful to the mood of the film. One would think that such a limited setting for media of this length would be boring to a viewer, but the overall design, mood, and constant movement throughout the film always kept the scenery from appearing stale. Beyond these few topics I've covered, there is much more symbolism and impressive feats of artwork to be appreciated by those with more understanding of artwork and how much effort goes into the production of such a film. Sound design is equally as lovingly crafted as the story itself and the impressive artwork that made the wonderful writing of Liz to Aoi Tori a reality. One thing that particularly stood out to me, and is present in both Liz to Aoi Tori and Hibike! Euphonium, is that most every sound and line of dialogue does not feel like it was recorded in a soundproof recording studio centimeters away from a ridiculously expensive ASMR microphone. If someone is talking on the opposite end of a large room, their voice echoes in such a manner that you would expect in real life from a similar room. The reason this is so, is because the absolutely dedicated individuals at Kyoto Animation often use 1:1 replicas of actual buildings in their work. This was the case with K-On!, as it is with Hibike! Euphonium. Many sounds ranging from footsteps, to dialogue, to orchestral music is all recorded in the actual real counterpart to the building in the animation. It adds so much depth and life to an otherwise unrealistic genre of media, and this amount of dedication to the product is truly impressive. Beyond that, all of the music is recorded with a live orchestra, resulting in every breath, every mechanical sound of a room full of instruments, and every minute flaw coming through into the final production. On top of the extremely detailed closeup animations of musical instruments being played, this amount of attention to detail truly makes the sound design of Liz to Aoi Tori and the Hibike! Euphonium series in general a masterpiece to be remembered. I highly recommend viewing some of the "making of" videos for Liz to Aoi Tori and Hibike! Euphonium. Seeing the painstakingly detailed recording and the unique production of original background music is very interesting and made me appreciate the effort so much more. Character building is rather restricted when a film is only focusing on two characters and their relationship between one another, but Kyoto Animation uses this restriction to really focus themselves on making very emotionally interesting characters that constantly keeps viewers captivated for the entire duration of the film. The character development in Liz to Aoi Tori is quite satisfying, and significant progression is made by the end of the film for two characters that were otherwise lacking characters in the main series of Hibike! Euphonium that constantly felt like they could be so much more. This satisfying and plentiful character progression makes Liz to Aoi Tori a refreshing take on side stories, something that is so easily spoiled that many studios will just never attempt to make anything of the sort, outside of hollow, unsubstantial, and easy-to-make OVAs for their anime. Liz to Aoi Tori, while not being the absolute most enjoying film or anime I've ever watched, has so much effort poured into its production that I would consider it an insult to the creators to NOT to call this film a masterpiece. The writing is certainly not half-assed, and yet so much precision and creativity was put into its creation, Liz to Aoi Tori still very much feels human and manages to closely touch our emotions.
_(Note: I tried to keep things spoiler free until the spoiler warning below)_ **Liz to Aoi Tori** _(Liz and the Blue Bird)_ is a movie by Kyoto Animation, part of the _Euphonium_ series. The story centers around __Mizore__ and __Nozomi__, two best friend and members of the school’s brass band club. img400(https://imgur.com/zGW2k9l.png) The movie takes place after the events in the second season of [Hibike! Euphonium](https://anilist.co/anime/21460/Hibike-Euphonium-2/). **Mizore Yoroizuka** is a shy, introspective, and extremely talented oboe player, who has in Nozomi her best (if not only) friend. img400(https://imgur.com/ysJ67fB.png) **Nozomi Kasaki** on the other hand is an extroverted and easy-going flute player, with lots of friends, the kind who is easily the center of attention and a target of admiration for her juniors and classmates. img400(https://imgur.com/GlwXzzI.png) The plot itself centers around the fairy tale of Liz and the Blue Bird. The tale is used as a backdrop and framing device for the story of the girls and their friendship, being presented in glimpses as the main story progresses. img400(https://imgur.com/yXI51QP.png) # # Let’s get the basic stuff out of the way first… This movie is beautiful. The story alternates between the “real world”, and scenes from the fairy tale story. The fairy tale scenes use pastel tones and a drawing style reminiscent of a children’s book, while normal scenes use Euphonium’s (basically Kyoto’s) signature style. In both styles we have the highest caliber of Kyoto animation excellence. img400(https://imgur.com/X6dKkYY.png) The story follows a slow and deliberate pace, where each scene is full of meaning and detail. Characters convey their emotions with each movement, expression, gesture. Background, scenes and objects are used to the fullest to enrich the story telling. In many moments, the perfect synchronized background music elevates a scene, being a core part of setting its mood and tone. img400(https://imgur.com/XpVHn38.png) Talking about music, the soundtrack is exquisite. Lot of the background music comes from incidental sources, further improving immersion. And then we have the Liz and the Blue Bird theme, which is something of beauty, being prominent in the movie emotional climax. img400(https://imgur.com/WfXhCRT.png) Character-wise we have a lot of the characters from the main series making a mostly background appearance, as most of the attention is given to the protagonists. img400(https://imgur.com/tywnvYg.png) The level of character development is excellent, something already expected of the Euphonium series, as we relate to the characters’ feelings and motivations on a deep personal level. The direction here must be praised as a lot is conveyed from the subtle cues in the animation, backgrounds, and music working in tandem. img400(https://imgur.com/j2ng7aZ.png) … **Be warned, spoilers ahead!** … # # The meaning behind… Now for the main reason for me to write this review. Liz and the Blue bird (the movie) is above all a story about love and interdependence. Let me expand and come back to that… In the fairy tale, Liz befriends a girl that appears collapsed in her yard after one stormy night. The two develop a deep friendship until, after being revealed that the girl is in fact a blue bird, a brokenhearted Liz makes her fly away to her freedom. The gesture, although painful to both, is a loving one: Liz would not be happy keeping her friend caged, and the bird girl realized that giving away her freedom, even willingly, would only bring pain to Liz who, above all, desires for her friend’s happiness. img300(https://imgur.com/nkHH9CE.png) The tale is a very close analogy to the relationship between the protagonists. The shy, indecisive, and lonely Mizore can be though as Liz while the extroverted and happy Nozomi as the bird. That analogy is reflected both on their characters traits and their relationship, e.g. Mizore dependence and total devotion to Nozomi, and Nozomi high spirits and confidence. In a crucial point for the above argument, Mizore decides to attend a music college based solely on Nozomi’s whims of going to said college. Her own desires notwithstanding. img600(https://imgur.com/n6BYddt.png) Mizore also has no real friends besides Nozomi. She repeatedly turns away invitations and approaches from her sectional mates, particularly Ririka Kenzaki, acting coldly and keeping distant from anyone else that is not Nozomi. img600(https://imgur.com/ltUF02p.png) And this is where things take a turn, because the above-mentioned analogy hides a lot more than what’s on the surface: The fact is that Nozomi whims of taking a music college were derived entirely from a desire to force herself to the same standing as the much more talented Mizore, an oboe player recognized even by her teachers as having a bright professional future, and also to not be left behind. Further evidence comes when Ririka slowly chinks away at Mizore armor and the two become closer: Nozomi hints of jealousy and possessiveness flash through the cracks and she starts to lose confidence, eventually going as far as ostracizing Mizore. img600(https://imgur.com/ZLak2UF.png) In the end, it is Mizore who is the actual “caged bird” and Nozomi the one who does not want to let go. In fact, they both don’t want to let go. It is that realization that allows the duo to come to terms with themselves and move forward at the end of the movie. img600(https://imgur.com/FLGNXyU.png) But, in contrast to the fairy tale, there was no need for the metaphorical flight of the bird. After coming to terms with their reality, the two girls leave with a stronger bond, and a deeper sense of being. Finding themselves, they come back and vow to each other and to their friendship, while still tracking their own path. img600(https://imgur.com/cVZtBdf.gif) And now I come back to what I said about interdependence and a most important take from the movie: Being happy with oneself is what allows one to be truly happy with another. In a relationship where there is only dependence, where one side surrenders its freedom and becomes caged, there’s a lot of pain to be had. Independence is a necessary step before becoming interdependent. Interdependence is a decision and it is where a relationship finds its utmost happiness. As the Liz story tells, sometimes letting go is the only, albeit sad, choice, and part of loving is being able to. But regardless, figuring that out and making that decision for oneself is the true path, as the alternative is a lie. img300(https://imgur.com/SuN1GSH.png) # # Conclusion and parting thoughts Liz to Aoi Tori is an absolute masterpiece in all aspects: animation, soundtrack, characters, storytelling. It is Kyoto Animation pulling out all the stops to masterfully craft a beautiful, deep, and emotional movie, with lots of important insights. As a fan of the Euphonium series, this was more of an awesome series that I love deeply and a precious look into two characters that were explored far too briefly in the anime. But even for those who don’t know the main series, this is a beautiful story that can easily stand on its own.
There’s something to be said for judging a story by its spinoffs. True, a good story is good no matter the quality of its ancillary material; movies like Psycho-Pass and Robocop aren’t made any less fantastic by their awful sequels, and shows like A Place Further Than the Universe weave such a complete, satisfying experience that the lack of side stories doesn’t feel like a missed opportunity. Still, though, on the rare occasion when a franchise has spinoffs that equal the main story, if not surpassing it, you know you’ve found something really special. Neon Genesis Evangelion basically rewrote its own ending with End of Evangelion, and the result was probably the best anime film of all time. Gintama’s sole side-story filler movie ranks among the best of its arcs, and that is no small feat with a show like Gintama. Symphogear’s silly chibi shorts could have been nothing but disposable fluff, but they regularly pack in some of the franchise’s best character moments. To close out K-On, Naoko Yamada wrote a tie-in movie so damn good it actually elevated the show’s second season just by existing. And now, Yamada’s back to strike spinoff gold once again with Liz and the Blue Bird, a side story to Hibike Euphonium that transcends the show itself to become perfectly capable of standing on its own, accessible for newcomers and Hibike fans alike. The story focuses on Nozomi and Mizore, two side characters from the show who take center stage here a year after the show’s events took place. They’re both concert band members in their final year at Kitauji High School; Mizore is quiet and withdrawn, Nozomi is cheery and outgoing. They’ve been friends for a very long time, but as the end of their high school experience approaches, their relationship begins to strain under the weight of unresolved tension they’re both still carrying with them. Exacerbating that tension is the fact that they’re going to be playing an important solo together for their band’s latest concert piece: Liz and the Blue Bird. It’s based on a children’s book that tells the story of Liz, a lonely girl who one day meets a bluebird in human form. The two fall in love, but in the end, Liz has to let the bluebird fly away. Both Nozomi and Mizore see far too much of their relationship in this story for comfort, and the thought of being separated like Liz and her bluebird after high school, as their lives tread different paths, makes it difficult for them to play the piece. And as the long summer rolls on, both of them must come to terms with what they want their relationship to be, and whether their story will have the same ending that Liz’ does. The most striking thing about this film is its sense of minimalism. That plot description I gave you pretty much summarizes the entire damn film, deliberately paced across 90 minutes. The entire thing takes place inside the school with no cutaways to the outside world. There are only a few side characters; Yuko and Natsuki from the show proper, the briefest of appearances from Hibike’s central foursome (Kumiko, Reina, Midori and Hazuki), one of the new first-years in Mizore’s oboe section, and that’s pretty much it. At times, we cut away to the tale of Liz and the Blue Bird, animated like a picturesque storybook in motion, as the events in the tale parallel or contrast with Mizore and Nozomi’s understanding of themselves and each other. And that’s as broad as this movie’s focus gets. It’s about as paired down as it can be, focusing almost exclusively on its central twosome as they fumble their way through their vanishing days at Kitauji High. And then it’s paired down further with Naoko Yamada’s empathetic direction, which often favors the communication of subtle body language over spoken words, and Kensuko Ushio’s haunting score, which at times sounds like it’s literally constructed from the soft little noises you hear in silence. Footsteps, lockers opening and closing, shoes scuffing on the floor, the mechanical hum of piano strings... if you’ve seen A Silent Voice, you know exactly how Ushio’s soundtracks sink into your tenderest nerves and refuse to leave. The end result of this minimalism is possibly the single most intimate movie-watching experience I’ve ever had. Watching Liz and the Blue Bird makes you feel like you’re right there next to these characters, breathing in the faint classroom dust and watching the sunlight dapple off the far wall. It’s tender, aching, even uncomfortable; at times, you feel so close to the events unfolding that you feel the urge to look away and respect their privacy. And the way Nozomi and Mizore’s story weaves through this minimalism is nothing short of breathtaking. Through the subtlest shifts of character acting and vocal performance, through the most deliberate choices of framing and editing, through the simplest reverberations from the soundtrack, you're taken on a journey with these two girls. You watch the ways the connect, the ways they miss each other, how Mizore doesn’t want to let Nozomi go and Nozomi doesn’t know how to follow her, how Nozomi doesn’t think she’s good enough for Mizore and Mizore struggles to live without her, how the ways they think they parallel Liz and the Blue Bird develop and invert over the passage of time. This is the kind of movie where just the opening credits, a near-wordless montage of Nozomi and Mizore walking through school in the morning, communicates almost the entirety of their relationship just from how they react to each other and how the camera chooses to focus on them. It’s insane how much is communicated with so little. And it’s fucking _powerful_. The longer you watch Liz and the Blue Bird, the more vulnerable it leaves you as it peels back layer after layer of unspoken hurt and desire. There are moments in this movie that left me trembling with emotion, where it felt like I would shatter into glass if I so much as breathed wrong. Its portrayal of tenderness and intimacy is second to none, and the push and pull between Nozomi and Mizore as the fear of losing each other grows stronger is the kind of softness that hits like a speeding truck. It’s a movie about the liminal space between independence and interdependence, what it means to be with someone and what it means to be by yourself, what it means to love and what it means to let go, how to find your own strength while relying on someone and how to support someone while standing on your own. And when it all comes to a head and we hear the solo in its full glory, followed by Nozomi and Mizore finally letting all their walls come down around each other... yeah, suffice to say, my eyes are still damp. I can’t remember the last time a movie left me feeling this raw with emotion, like I was experiencing something so unmistakably and undeniably human it was overwhelming in its beauty. But that’s the power of Hibike Euphonium, isn’t it? Out of all Kyoto Animation’s many masterpieces, nothing has captured the essence of humanity quite like Hibike. Nothing has so perfectly understood what it means to live and love as an ordinary person in an extraordinary world. And while I don’t think Liz and the Blue Bird quite surpasses the show’s best- it’s such a small, intimate story that it doesn’t have time to explore the sheer breadth of intertwined ideas that a TV show can- it is, nonetheless, a masterpiece through and through, and another high-water mark for a studio that’s already set so goddamn many. Whoever you are, however much anime you’ve watched, whether you’ve watched Hibike yet or not, you owe to yourself to watch this movie. Liz and the Blue Bird is truly, astoundingly beautiful, and it will linger in your heart long after the credits finally roll.
~~~ **This review is spoiler-free (unless otherwise stated) but contains tags. The hidden content under the tags is an attempt to convey my feelings. It's not necessary reading, but paints a complete picture of why this movie speaks to me on a personal level.** img10%(https://i.imgur.com/6Zm9TYS.png) ~~~ *** ~~~ img100%(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59bd460e7131a50df25c5373/1541725974844-LUDXPOMIXHEIT6MJYRHZ/liz.jpg) ~~~
*Liz and the Blue Bird,* directed by [Naoko Yamada](https://anilist.co/staff/102498/Naoko-Yamada), is the critically-acclaimed spinoff to Kyoto Animation's smash-hit, *[Hibike! Euphonium](https://anilist.co/anime/20912/Hibike-Euphonium/).* It probably marks the most quiet juncture in Yamada's illustrious filmography, with its popularity dwarfed by the likes of its parent series, [*K-On!*](https://anilist.co/review/19172) and *[Koe no Katachi](https://anilist.co/anime/20954/Koe-no-Katachi/)*(KNK). Yet, *Liz* also represents a complete culmination of Yamada's body of work thus far, opening new doors for the animation medium and industry. An emphatic display of technical mastery, a heart-wrenching message compounded with metaphor, and one of the greatest films I've seen to date. *Liz* may not be an international phenomenon, but its artistic and emotional contributions cannot go understated. In celebration of the movie's 4th anniversary, this review is dedicated to exploring the factors that make *Liz* so special. For those new to the *Hibike!* franchise, this article also looks to offer the context needed to fully enjoy this film as a standalone story.
~~~ img100%(https://66.media.tumblr.com/970f6cf332cddd5a2423f57aaed9776b/tumblr_pnycj9MzB31qkz08qo1_540.gif) ~~~Fresh off the universal acclaim garnered from *Koe no Katachi,* Yamada swiftly set her sights on yet another masterpiece. Sharing key staff members from KNK, *Liz* displays a comparable, if not superior, degree of emotional resonance and technical expertise. However, these two films could not be further apart. If KNK is likened to a charting modern pop ballad, with Yamada's talents utilized to effectively deliver hard-hitting hooks at breakneck speed; *Liz* then is a more intimate classical arrangement, with our conductor patiently entrancing us with measures of increasing intensity, all before crashing over us in a symphonic, cathartic crescendo.
The many cogs that make up *Liz* were turned by skilled collaborators running at top gear. Longtime Yamada colleague [Reiko Yoshida's](https://anilist.co/staff/97076/Reiko-Yoshida) screenplay is equal parts simple and instrumental to conveying the foundation of the *Liz* experience. Naturalistic dialogue in day-to-day conversations makes way for poetic prose in earnest displays of emotion during pivotal moments. Through a lush soundscape, *Liz's* phenomenal score and sound design live up to the grand standards set by its parent franchise. *Hibike! Euphonium's* sound designer [Youta Tsuruoka](https://anilist.co/staff/102194/Youta-Tsuruoka) immerses in the closed-in campus of Kitauji HIgh with sonic nuances laid across the school. [Kensuke Ushio](https://anilist.co/staff/119254/Kensuke-Ushio) builds upon the delicate piano score of KNK, by constructing his musical accompaniments around the realistic rhythms of footfalls and objects found in the real-life school *Liz's* setting is based on. A second composer, [Akito Matsuda](https://anilist.co/staff/109045/Akito-Matsuda), offers the more classical arrangements associated with the world of *Hibike.* An orchestra from the [Senzoku Gakuen College of Music](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-11-07/video-go-behind-the-scenes-of-kyoto-animation-liz-and-the-blue-bird-title-track/.139187) performed *Liz's* titular piece for the film. Yet another essential element comes courtesy of the late character designer [Futoshi Nishiya](https://anilist.co/staff/102729/Futoshi-Nishiya). His soft linework on the masculine *Free!* blends seamlessly with Yamada's mastery of the female perspective, leading to the accentuation of every tiny action. Each of these excellent aspects are more than mere displays of technical mastery; the facets of writing, sound and character visuals all embody grounded and symbolic attributes. The team's emphasis on detail-oriented storytelling perfectly complements that of Yamada's own skillset, which is made all the more impressive when one considers her method of helming series. Despite her specific objectives, Yamada is known to give room for her collaborators' individuality to shine. This balance between precise decisions and creative freedom allow for a versatile range of evocative elements that still feel unmistakably Yamada. Learning about these collaborators helps us to grasp the full breadth of Yamada's creative vision, and why her genius is so revered by industry animators.
~~~ img100%(https://66.media.tumblr.com/34543945c2e71bd6e1591668d9b82a74/tumblr_pog6hnsuDT1w46s3lo1_540.gif) ~~~Under Yamada, *Liz's* visual direction feels purposeful. Vibrant, colorful watercolors of certain dreamlike sequences are juxtaposed against the melancholic blue hues of the film's realistic school setting. The school is more than a mere backdrop, but almost a character unto itself. Save the aforementioned dream sequences and the final moments of the movie, *Liz* takes place entirely within the grounds of Kitauji High. What would have otherwise been a cumbersome limitation works to Yamada's creative strengths. Her use of space ensures that scenes are far less boring than one would expect. Standout shots provide an almost-claustrophobic feel for keen observers and are enhanced with thoughtful framing. The shot composition makes frequent use of lines in the background and lighting, and is key to keeping scenes feeling fresh. Her love for cinema shines through and works brilliantly within the animation space, thanks to the organic compositing of cinematic effects such as blurs and camera movements. Her timing of shots goes hand-in-hand with Ushio's score, imbuing the fitting tone for each sequence. Yamada is also keen on incorporating more unconventional artstyles in certain sequences, such as the use of [decalcomania](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2018/06/25/a-new-step-for-a-silent-voice-team-liz-and-the-blue-bird-impressions/) and abstract linework. Perhaps the most idiosyncratic attribute in this canvas of Yamada's is her unrivaled command over human expression in animation. Her work on *Liz* shows a perfected craft that goes far beyond her "trademark" leg shots. Closeups on our characters reveal their distinct mannerisms and unspoken emotions, creating the aura of relatability and a human touch synonymous with the KyoAni brand.
Even *Liz's* detractors would agree that the film is undoubtedly a technical marvel. However, one common complaint they'd raise is that the show did not deserve a movie-length theatrical release. While a select handful of scenes could have been cut, *Liz* stylistic choices are far more than set dressing. Rather, they make up the story itself, and leaving out such important moments would diminish this movie experience. In *Liz,* the medium and message are one and the same. We've covered a variety of techniques incorporated. But in order to fully appreciate all these sensory elements, we must first understand the metaphor so-tightly woven throughout each scene.
*** ~~~ #**interlude**. ~! I feel alone. My loneliness is not a conscious choice of mine, but a matter of consequence. I used to be blissfully unaware in life. I never had anyone to call a friend, because I never actively looked for one. I was habitually closed off from the world around me, that's just my nature. I was never taught that human connection was important, and I never anticipated how much I'd hurt without it. When I learned that there was a whole other way of living life, it felt as if the world fell out from under my feet. It felt like I was falling down, just as much as I was falling behind my peers in terms of building social circles and meaningful bonds. I had wasted so many years closed off from the world, stuck in mundane routines and chores. I had no one to call a friend, and the few people that gave me time only seemed to do so out of pity. I used to be blissfully unaware in life, but now all I could feel was regret. Regret for the life I didn't live, the childhood I never enjoyed, and the fact that I wasn't worth other people's time. As someone in need of value in his own life, I failed to offer any to those around me, and so the cycle continued. I didn't choose to be ignorant, I just didn't know. But now that I did, I was ready to change things. I threw myself into extracurriculars and unfamiliar activities, often at the expense of my studies, just to feel like I was making a change. My efforts to socialize and catch up did alleviate matters, but you can only get so far when the world is light years ahead of you. And so, I fell. Finding myself in her cage was the best thing that has ever happened to me. !~ ~~~ *** ~~~ img100%(https://66.media.tumblr.com/eb6bfb5945fa1d19fa0db414f8862849/tumblr_pnyckiIbgj1qkz08qo1_540.gif) ~~~*Liz* is centered around two girls from the *Hibike!* universe, Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki. While *Liz* mostly functions as a standalone film, some content may only makes sense or gets enhanced by having seen *Hibike.* Without spoiling the tv series, here's a brief summary of the two characters and their relationship. Mizore is a soft-spoken, musically-talented prodigy. She and Nozomi belonged to the same middle school, where Nozomi invited her to join the wind ensemble. As the first person in Mizore's life to have reached out to her, Nozomi became a close friend and source of fixation for the shy girl. Mizore masters the oboe in large part due to her bond with Nozomi, who continued to play the instrument after Nozomi quit the club. Now, having found their friendship reignited in the Kitauji High orchestra, her co-dependency with Nozomi starts going to extreme lengths. Nozomi is an easy-going individual with an aloof personality. She often finds herself surrounded by peers and keeps up a jovial demeanor. However, she lacks talent and admires Mizore's effortless skill from a distance. Her reasons for abandoning both the club and friendship are selfish in nature. In some respects, both characters are following in each other's footsteps. Mizore has made Nozomi her world, and Nozomi longs to excel in the way only Mizore can. This relationship, while intimate, is not one that can last. And it's this dynamic that is forever changed in *Liz,* as the girls meet at an emotional crossroads and come to a decision of the heart.
*** ~~~ #**intermission**. ~! I loved her. I could never admit it to anyone at the time, myself included. But 3 years on and it's the first thing I'd tell you about the two of us: I loved her. She changed my world completely. She stopped me from falling, and I found joy in her cage. She was all that I had, and I was content. She was everything I wasn't: street smart, good with people, and innately charismatic. She never needed me, and that's exactly why I wanted her. She knew how to make me feel wanted, and that was a feeling I needed. Her companionship gave me comfort and made me feel loved. In her cage, everything seemed to make sense. If she stayed by my side, I could let go of all my regret. I could leave my life of falling behind, in exchange for her comfort. As I craved the connection we had, I began to grow possessive and needy. I had loved to feel loved, but she didn't feel the same. She never needed me, nor did she want me to need her. She meant the world to me. And that's why I had to let her go. !~ ~~~ *** ~~~ img100%(https://64.media.tumblr.com/359a08ebf12b5d3e1f551c534db3b475/e6ee7c50673ec05f-57/s2048x3072/51bdc7678bf53f41f4753983a1116347b8629144.gif) ~~~"Disjoint." This word is displayed following the opening scene of *Liz,* and both go on to define the rest of the film. Our girls are presented as close, yet out-of-sync. Their walk to the clubroom is accompanied by Ushio's "Wind, Glass, Girls", a track which is built around the footsteps of the brisk Nozomi and the measured Mizore ([110 BPM and 60 BPM respectively](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2018/06/25/a-new-step-for-a-silent-voice-team-liz-and-the-blue-bird-impressions/)) as they make their way to their club room. Yamada's direction shows Mizore imitating Nozomi's movements, but cuts away before she can ever complete those actions, signifying that Mizore is struggling to follow her friend's footsteps. The two cannot synchronise, and this theme pervades the rest of the *Liz* journey.
~~~ webm(https://webm.red/osL5.webm) ~~~The second key device introduced is the nested story within *Liz.* The orchestral piece of the same name is an original piece composed exclusively for the film, and also exists as a fictitious companion storybook to the song. Both girls consulting the book is a recurring motif; as they try to understand the music piece, the tragic relationship the song is based off and, by extension, themselves. The tale is one of a village girl, Liz, who encounters an injured Blue Bird in the form of a human. Their story is one of farewells, as one remains fixated on taking to the skies once more, while the other beckons the bird to stay. A clear power dynamic is established, with the Bird being seen as "superior" and Liz as "inferior." This dichotomy carries forward to Nozomi and Mizore, as Yamada thematically frames Mizore as a figure who is needy for Nozomi.
~~~ img100%(https://64.media.tumblr.com/e0c83d5b286f64225e0abc64b7147784/tumblr_pny97aia6M1qkz08qo1_540.gifv) ~~~Obstacles are introduced, hindering the pair from perfecting their song and driving a wedge between their shaky friendship. Motifs throughout the film escalate the tension; *Liz* often uses established *Hibike!* pairings to juxtapose their synchronisation with our main duo's lack thereof. The presence of other club members and cliques continually leave Mizore in isolation. The school campus gradually turns into a cage for the Blue Bird. Codependency in the height of your youth is being held back from your fullest potential, as if locked away in a cage. Our characters' gazes of longing outside of the campus windows denote their search for clarity, both within themselves and the world beyond the unescapable prison. The conflict lasts long after the final performance of the titular song, as Mizore and Nozomi lay their hearts out in a bittersweet confrontation. This last stretch of the analysis will involve **spoilers**, so proceed with caution.
~! *Liz's* twist revealing that the Blue Bird was Mizore instead is effective due to the duality of the metaphor. Repeat viewings would reveal that *both* girls are each other's Liz and Blue Bird. In both ways, one is inextricably tied to the other. There is no superiority or inferiority, only differences in perspective. The relationship between Mizore and Nozomi is one where both would benefit from mutual separation - to cut out the insecurities and unhealthy obsessions that drive them both. Mizore needed to learn how to make decisions for herself, while Nozomi's lesson was one of self-love and harnessing her own strengths. It is a simple message, but one compounded upon through Yamada's attention to detail and earnest expressiveness. The final moments of *Liz* marks the antithesis of its beginning. Rather than show how the two are different, the attention is focused on how the girls have become similar. Only in living for themselves could our Blue Birds achieve true synchronicity and take to the skies. !~ (**End of spoilers**)As they eventually leave the cage that bound them and step out of the school compound, the prefix in "Disjoint" is hastily scratched away. It's a powerful conclusion, one with a solemn undertones. But underneath the ballad lies an uplifting symphony, likened to the "happy ending" Nozomi cheekily foreshadows in *Liz's* opening. An experimental approach and expressive efficacy create a truly immersive experience. The heart of this film is deceptively simple, but allows a plethora of motifs to shine and break you apart piece-by-piece. Carried by masterful visual storytelling and detailed sound design, this heart-wrenching film represents Yamada's present *magnum opus.* Watch *Liz and the Blue Bird.* **10/10**~
*** ~~~ #**coda**. ~! What we shared was something special. But the both of us were blue birds, holding each other back from better futures. She deserved far more than what I could give her, and I had yet to experience what the world could offer me. In spite of - and because - of our love for each other, we had to let each other go. Loving her was like biking with training wheels on. When she was there to support me, I felt comfort, security and balance. But I knew there was another way to go about my journey in life. Off came the training wheels, it was time to grow up. Since then I've only fallen. I've picked up scrapes, and I can't say that my ride has been better than it was when she was around. Because it hasn't. Thankfully, I've managed to make some progress. I've broadened my horizons and found some meaning outside typical interpersonal relationships. The COVID situation (and fear for my sanity) drove me to pursue personal interests and meeting online communities. Heck, both of these things are the reasons why I'm putting together a stream-of-consciousness rant about my Ex alongside a public review on an anime logging site, lol. If that isn't peak nerdy, I don't know what is. All jokes aside, it feels amazing that I've found a respectful community and friends who share common interest, which feels like something of a luxury to me. I'm also making strides in those IRL interactions, meeting all kinds of people in college. There is no certainty when I stepped out of the cage. It's close to a happy ending, but there's so much I'm unsure of. The happiness I desire, until and unless it materializes, is and will remain a complete mystery to me. Sure, it's possible, as is the instantaneous heat death of the universe, or monkeys typing a word-for-word copy of a Shakespeare play. All these scenarios are probable, but none have ever occurred. People I know say there is hope for me yet, and the intangibility of their normal existence hangs over me regardless. There's a light at the end of the tunnel, but I can't pretend that I can see it. But on I strive, to find my best self in an unfamiliar world. On I push, in the faint hopes that the happiness found in her cage was just the beginning. On I fall, with the dream of one day finding out what it means to stretch out my wings- And fly. !~ webm(https://webm.red/t0uD.webm) ~~~ *** ~~~ #You've just read Part 1 of **Understanding Yamada**. img100%(https://i.imgur.com/sJz2eOJ.png) ##**U.Y.** is an ongoing series of reviews, dedicated to exploring the evolution of one of the most prominent directors in anime today. img47%(https://i.imgur.com/QPjlMaF.gif) img47%(https://i.imgur.com/P95WxPX.gif) img44%(https://i.imgur.com/jNK6z5d.gif) img49%(https://66.media.tumblr.com/970f6cf332cddd5a2423f57aaed9776b/tumblr_pnycj9MzB31qkz08qo1_540.gif) *** ##Click below to view the series so far! [ img15%(https://i.imgur.com/GUxr4DK.png) ](https://anilist.co/review/10909) [ img15%(https://i.imgur.com/5mABX8x.png) ](https://anilist.co/review/19172) [ img15%(https://i.imgur.com/YO0KCI5.png) ](https://anilist.co/review/19238) [ img15%(https://i.imgur.com/LFGXqPb.png) ](https://anilist.co/review/23528) img15%(https://i.imgur.com/IHX7D4V.png) img15%(https://i.imgur.com/IHX7D4V.png) ~~~ ***Special shoutout to @Lumpy for inspiring this review. I was toying around with the concept of a personal anecdote within a review, but initially conceived that plan for a different script. I only realised that approach would suit *Liz* when I read his now-privatised review on the show, so I'd like to thank him for the solid read. I also want to thank each and everyone of you who read through the full review. It'll probably remain as one of the strangest things I'll ever post publicly, but this is the way I wanted to make my love for this show known. If you happen to like my verbose rants, feel free to check out my other [reviews](https://anilist.co/user/An1meDweeb/reviews) for seasons past and present. I also frequently post writeups under my list updates, so definitely take a peek if you'd like to see me mald over anime as they hit the airwaves. Peace~
__Intro__ Detailed sounds, expressions, glowing eyes... a movie named Liz and the Blue Bird had a lot of stuff very detailed to my surprise, as it was something... that caught my attention first and from the very start. At the start of the movie the only thing I expected was that it would be mainly about musical instruments. Well, I would lie if I said that it wasnt a big part of it, BUT, this wasnt the main focus of the movie. It was the psychological and mental part of the characters. Both main characters Nozomi and Mizore have mixed thoughts about themselves and the relationship they had with each other. Enough for the intro talk... let’s look at the two main characters. __Mizore Yoroizuka__ The main character of the movie. She was a girl who was quiet and introverted. What was interesting in my opinion. Despite having difficulties with social interactions, she had friends like the other main character, Nozomi Kasaki and a few other side characters. One thing I cannot miss to point out here… the anime itself is named after one book which is referred to tons of times in the movie. To put it simply, at first the characters from the book as well as Mizore feel like victims… they feel like that they are robbed and are losing the other person somehow. But with some time passing by their viewpoint flips around and they come up with a new perspective and that is that they weren’t victims. They only were scared to let go of their friend… they feared the potential that if they let them be… they would have to say goodbye to the other person like in the book. Eventually, that's something that will inevitably happen… but that’s something both Mizore and Nozomi wanted to prevent. They both wanted to spend as much time together as possible… without holding the other person back and making them feel like a caged animal. __ Nozomi Kasaki__ Nozomi Kasaki was the second main character in the movie. She, unlike Mizore, was more open and social than Mizore. With that said, Nozomi still held Mizore close to her heart. I don’t want to repeat myself here… as I said before, both Mizore and Nozomi felt like victims at first… but then they felt like the one who was responsible for making both of them feel bad and uncomfortable. Mizore maybe felt like this because of not being as outgoing. On the other hand, Nozomi had this viewpoint because she felt like Mizore was holding her musical talent back for her sake. This created an obstacle for both main characters to solve themselves and together. They had to be honest with themselves and talk things through… which is something they haven’t done in the past like the movie shows. __Main takeaway__ Communication is something that can really make things easier to bear and solve. Before feeling like a victim… try to think again and see if you aren’t just letting emotions get to you too much. These two things stand out for me the most. __ Conclusion__ I think this is an anime movie which is worth watching. I only expected a fun musical movie to chill. At the end of the day, I received a movie which really had two very interesting characters with a fun conflict to follow.
# ~~~__A WONDERFUL STORY OF A LOVE / FRIENDSHIP / DEPENDENCE RELATIONSHIP WITH A GENTLE FAIRY-TALE TOUCH__~~~ ~~~~~~ I started following the Sound! Euphonium series recently and I could only say good words about it. Today, however, I venture into my first review of a movie, going to talk about the part that most impressed me of this series. ~~~~~~ ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/9mWtklH.png)~~~ ~~~~~~ Liz and the Blue Bird tells the story of Kasaki Nozomi and Yoroizuka Mizore, characters we have already learned about during the 2nd season of the TV show. The movie, being dedicated to them, obviously treats their relationship in a much more characterizing way than the series, exploring all the psychological aspects that describe one of the most beautiful relationships I've ever seen between 2 anime characters. But the thing that makes this work more special is the juxtaposition of a fantasy tale (which has the name of the movie as its title) that revisits the relationship between the two girls in a more fairy-tale key. In fact, the parallels between the 2 stories (in which initially Mizore represents Liz, a lonely girl who one day meets a blue bird, represented by Nozomi, with whom she befriends and the two become inseparable) are really of great impact. ~~~~~~ ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/Qahn2lF.png)~~~ ~~~~~~ The film alternates these two "narrative dimensions" in order to keep the parallelism constant. Mizore sees herself in Liz mainly in the characteristic of "loving the blue bird to the point of wanting to stay together forever, even at the cost of preventing it from taking flight and reaching its maximum potential". While Mizore, however, thinks exclusively of Nozomi during her days, the partner does not show the same emotional attachment, hiding important personal life choices and not considering her his one and only friend. Hence a very bittersweet feeling arises in Mizore that during the movie seems more and more to turn into a kind of dependence, rather than a friendship. All this up to the turning point that occurs in the last 30 minutes of the movie that will definitively complete the relationship between the 2 companions (I avoid continuing to talk about it to avoid excessive spoilers). All this surrounds the more "material" plot, that is the preparation of a new song (obviously entitled Liz and the Blue Bird) to play in the next competition of the band . ~~~~~~ ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/rQXy5BL.png)~~~ ~~~~~~ To partially close the speech related to the plot and the characters, I congratulate the author on how she managed to write such an impactful and emotional story by basing it exclusively on 2 secondary characters who during the series had only a handful of dedicated episodes. From this point of view, the series seemed to me quite exhaustive to make me fully understand the relationship between Nozomi and Mizore. It didn't take long for me to completely change my mind after seeing how this work managed to describe it in a much deeper way and to make me much more attached to their characters. ~~~~~~ ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/Wf40Wdl.png)~~~ ~~~~~~ Speaking instead from a strictly technical point of view, I can't help but congratulate Kyoto Animation and all the people who worked on the movie for the wonderful work done with regard to the graphic aspect of the anime. As always, Kyoani never denies himself from this point of view and the way they draw this type of story greatly helps the viewer to get excited and feel involved in the events. In addition to this I also infinitely appreciated the pacing of the film, perfect regarrding the developments and moments of quiet. Despite being a part essentially focused on the development of a relationship between characters, we never have dead, unimportant or boring moments, all the pieces of the puzzle fit together perfectly and nothing else can come out but this masterpiece. I also greatly appreciate this new character design, which is very different from that of the series: the bodies are more slender, the eyes are smaller and for this reason the characters seem more mature, unlike the series in which they are portrayed as classics high school students. _(down here the comparison movie-TV show)_ ~~~~~~ ~~~img300(https://imgur.com/srt3FVb.png) img300(https://imgur.com/AuGs60U.png)~~~ ~~~~~~ This "maturity" contributes greatly to the speech I made earlier, and that is to give a much more intense meaning to the emotions that the characters feel and the reactions they have in the most significant moments. Also flawless from the sound point of view, the song chosen to act as a pivot to the film is very beautiful, as are the OSTs that characterize it outside the scenes in which it is played. I conclude by saying that when I started watching the series I didn't even know that this movie existed, I started with the idea that the show was composed of 2 seasons and a movie (not finished so I hope it will be continued). I am therefore very happy not to have missed this gem and I strongly recommend everyone (especially fans of the musical, "light" drama genre) to recover the series, obviously without forgetting Liz and the Blue Bird, as I was about to do. _P.S. I am not a native English speaker so I apologize for any mistakes._
Ever heard of the phrase "less is more"? Yeah, Liz and the Blue Bird is basically this in a nutshell. Now, I admit, I only have a passing knowledge of the series it's based on, _Sound! Euphonium_, and I haven't seen both seasons of the anime, so when I heard about this movie, I originally hadn't planned on watching it. But when I read [the review of it](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/liz-and-the-blue-bird/.137478) on Anime News Network and found that you apparently don't need to have seen the TV series to enjoy it, my interest was piqued. Why not? So, I decided to watch it after all. The review I read was praising the movie up the wazoo, exalting it as one of the best anime movies ever. Having now seen the movie itself, while I personally don't consider it to be an all-out masterpiece, I did find myself enjoying it way more than I thought I would, and it's definitely one of my new favorite anime movies in recent years. The film focuses on two young girls, Mizore Yoroizuka, a shy and quiet oboist, and Nozomi Kasaki, a cheery, energetic girl who plays the flute. They're both in their school's orchestra, and have been friends for quite a while. It's their final year of high school, and having endured quite a bit of drama and crazy events a year ago, Mizore's not sure if she's ready to graduate high school and potentially part ways with her first friend. Not helping matters is that they have a solo performance for a show coming up, but they can't seem to get the piece down. But in life, just like the piece they're performing, "Liz and the Blue Bird," you need to set that caged bird free some time. For fans of the series, many members of the main cast appear, but either have very few lines or a few short cameo appearances, so chances are you won't see them play a huge part in the story, as it focuses entirely on Mizore and Nozomi, along with a few others. On one hand, this helps the movie stand on its own, focusing on its own stories and events rather than simply using the TV series as a trampoline to propel itself into the sky. As someone who hasn't seen both seasons of the TV series, I watched the whole movie all the way through, and not once did I ever feel lost or thrown off by what was happening, as the movie gently fills the audience in on what happened, in a subtle, overt manner, in an "Oh, by the way" kind of tone, not shoving it in your face or spoon-feeding it to you, which is definitely great. A movie that trusts its audience to put the pieces together while still managing to subtly show them what's going on is always a good thing. It's a delicate balance, and I feel Liz and the Blue Bird pulled it off spectacularly. On the other hand, since it focuses on two side characters and not the main cast that featured prominently in the series, it might disappoint those hoping for a more direct follow-up, especially since the main cast of the series only make a few appearances as background characters who don't say or do much. Considering who did the animation for this movie, it's no surprise that Kyoto Animation's work on the movie is absolutely gorgeous, especially in differentiating Mizore's school and the imaginary fairy tale segments. The Liz segments are bright and eye catching, popping to life with beautiful watercolor backgrounds and light, pastel colors that give it a warm, fairy tale-like feel, and the characters move in a life-like fashion. There's nary a still frame in the movie. The segments focusing on the girls and their life in school are more subdued in color, but the animation doesn't cut any corners here. The movie puts a huge emphasis on showing over telling with animation: Facial expressions, hand gestures, feet movement, the way people walk, little details like that are brought to life and convey much more in subtle motion than words could ever do. The first ten minutes of the movie are nothing but silence, letting the audience soak up the atmosphere and showing two girls walking to class together in quiet tranquility. Mizore is a shy girl who doesn't say much, and gestures such as clenching a fist and tugging her hair speak to her anxiety and fear of change, whereas Nozomi literally bounces across the screen, with her ponytail flailing in the air and her arms and hands moving in all different directions as she talks. Naoko Yamada, the director, has always had an affinity for letting the animators show character and feelings through facial expressions, gestures, and body movements, and it's a good approach to take here, letting the animation speak for itself. I kinda wish more movies would take this approach. With the movie's heavy emphasis on music, there's no way the producers would let the movie have a bad soundtrack. No surprise, the whole soundtrack, from soft piano tunes to a whole bellowing orchestra that explodes with vitality, the soundtrack absolutely sells the movie here, with each piece of music fitting their assigned scenes, setting the mood and bringing out the atmosphere and pure emotion. From what I've heard, the producers worked with a live orchestra while working on the film, and this choice was an excellent one. Plus, the music also links the characters even more, with the focus being on how Nozomi and Mizore can sync their flute and oboe solos during a performance. The flute and oboe are used prominently in the soundtrack, further emphasizing that this is their story. I admit I'm not a music expert (I hated it as a subject in school), so I apologize if I'm gushing too much about it and not being more objective. A good soundtrack can make or break a movie or show, and it works very well here. Since the main cast of the TV series don't appear much, how do the focus characters fare? Honestly, I think the characters are great. They're nothing groundbreaking, but the movie's execution manages to make them feel real and relatable. Mizore's the shy girl who does want to come out of her shell, but fears change and losing her first real friend, and relies on her a lot, something she realizes is unhealthy. Nozomi is a cheerful, friendly girl who's friends with everyone, but knows when to shut up and listen when someone needs to vent, and even she has her own insecurities that she needs to deal with. They're down to earth, good-natured kids getting ready to step on the road to adulthood, but still have a lot to deal with. The few side characters that get focus are also pretty fun and full of personality. One thing I'd definitely like to talk about in regards to the characters is this: I am so, so, SO happy that _Liz and the Blue Bird_ DOESN'T have its teenager characters constantly yelling or screaming at each other in a melodramatic fashion or constantly scheming against each other or generally acting like complete pricks. So many movies that focus on teenagers seem to think having teenagers act bombastic and catty and constantly arguing and having them make mountains out of molehills is establishing character development, which is absolutely not true. The kids in Liz and the Blue Bird are perfectly down to earth, just talking, sharing stories, consulting each other on their problems, and they all act civil, mature, and never acting stupid or like caricatures of teenagers. I really wish more movies with a teenage cast would focus more on subtlety like Liz does here. I'd much rather watch this than...say, _The Breakfast Club_ or every Disney channel kid sitcom. Personally, I really liked this one and had no problem with it, but this type of movie probably won't appeal to a lot of people, for a variety of reasons. One thing I can say is that _Liz and the Blue Bird_ is painfully predictable. The movie doesn't try to do anything new with this type of storyline, where girls get ready for the end of high school and have to resolve their issues. This type of premise has been done to death by many other movies, books, games, and shows since the beginning, and Liz doesn't make an effort to stand out in terms of its story. You know where it's going to go and what's going to happen, so expecting it to pull some awesome, unexpected twist is like asking Nintendo to change Mario's signature color from red to purple. There's no surprises to be found here. But the way the story is told through its animation, music, and other narrative choices is masterfully done in my book. But one thing I did notice and did feel detrimented the movie is it's extremely limited scope in terms of its setting. With the exception of the fantasy segments, the ENTIRE movie is set at school, and we NEVER see the girls outside of school. We never see them at home, or going shopping, or doing anything outside of school, and while I can respect Yamada's decision to keep everything set to one location for narrative purposes, I feel showing the girls outside of school and what they're like and what they do outside school would make them feel more alive and prevent the movie from coming off as dull to some people. But then again, that's what the TV series is for, probably. Another potential flaw that the movie has is its pacing. It's very slow. Like, really slow. Nothing is ever rushed, and the movie likes to take its sweet time in showing what the characters are doing and little else. I personally liked this approach, as I feel the slow pacing adds to the calm, subdued atmosphere the movie is trying to set up. But this approach might not work as well for those a little more impatient, and some may complain it moves at a snail's pace. I had no problem with the pacing myself, as I don't mind a movie where I can just turn my brain off, relax, and look at pretty colors and images every now and again. Sometimes we need that once in a while. But again, it's a matter of taste for some. I can probably describe this movie with two words: Subdued and graceful. That's basically _Liz and the Blue Bird_ in a nutshell, and there's nothing wrong with that. If you have any appreciation for nice, relaxing, sweet movies with a lot of heart, _Liz and the Blue Bird_ is a must watch, and I think I can call this Naoko Yamada's masterpiece. We're very lucky to have this movie, and more films like this need to be made.
Liz and The Blue Bird Review: Note: This is my first experience with this series, I have not yet watched any of Euphonium. Liz and The Blue Bird is a fantastic movie that gets a lot right but is squandered by a lackluster conclusion. What I think really drew me into the story was the art and animation. Nozomi and Mizore's high school is the setting for the entire movie, and the most important scenes are set in the same classroom. Recognizing this, the artists spent painstaking detail on all backgrounds so that the unchanging setting never bores the audience. This is the only anime I’ve ever seen where I can say that nearly every frame is a masterpiece I could hang on my wall. It's hard to overstate the impact this has on the experience as a whole, the atmosphere and sense of realism elevate the entire movie. The goal of the animators wasn't to blow you away with Sakuga and beauty every five seconds like a Makoto Shinkai film but to make the animation as consistently fluid as possible. Not to distract from the breathtaking backgrounds but enhance them. To build up the sense of realism even more. That's not even to mention the storybook scenes with their own captivating art style. Working as foils to one another, each highlights the strengths of its counterpart. The writing puts in as much legwork as the art to create a realistic depiction of high school life. All the dialogue feels genuine, adding to the atmosphere created by the art, every relationship, major or minor, felt natural. Attention was clearly given to even the most inconsequential lines to establish the relationships between members of the band while also characterizing them. The fact that I can’t talk too in-depth about things like the dialogue and how that affects the overall plot is because… well, there isn’t much there. Liz doesn't have a poorly written storyline, but it does very little to keep the audience engaged. Much of this story is built up to the inevitable confrontation between Mizore and Nozomi. However this confrontation, while not being poorly written, lacks the impact that a climax should have. it's almost like the writers didn’t want to make any concrete changes in their characters. For all the beautiful buildup Liz and The Blue Bird does, what it leads to doesn’t deliver. It all lacks finality. This leads to some scenes just not serving all too much of a purpose, having half-baked ideas which weren’t confronted in the end, or was only briefly covered. While Liz and The Blue Bird isn’t that long, I feel like the story could have been sped up, and the climatic scene we have already could have been placed nearer to the middle of the story. This is a critical flaw in the plot because this is all the audience gets, the movie does not do anything notable before the climax outside of building up Nozomi and Mizore's relationship. One thing I did love about the overall plot is how the writers manage to integrate the story of the fairytale with that of the high school. Having the characters in the fairy tale be representations of the character's genuine emotions was great, and I think they used that to its full potential. Liz and The Blue Bird sucked me in with breathtaking art and skillfully crafted dialogue but left me wanting more with its conclusion. It's far from a bad movie, but some potential was left unrealized.
_(This is an old note that I wrote in [Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/helmiaziz/film/liz-and-the-blue-bird/1/) almost 2 years ago, but now that I'm migrating to Anilist, I might as well share it here because: 1. I love this movie so much, and 2. I want to normalize unstructured, unanalytical, yet honest writing in Anilist, showing that anyone can share whatever they want about media that affected them so much in many ways. I hope this text will give you deeper appreciation for the movie)_ It's been about 2-3 months since I tried to watch more anime, partly due to me being in my parent's house because of Covid-19 and I just felt quite uncomfortable to watch more movies that resembles more to my previous favourites while I'm still here. I started from binging all of Ghibli's feature films, and on my way I took a slight detour into watching Violet Evergarden, thanks to my brother for subscribing to Netflix. I was quite surprised to see how great Violet Evergarden is, even if it was a bit cheesier than it needs to be. Turns out that series was created by Kyoto Animation, one of the best in its industry and is famous due to their work ethics. And as I binged some more of their most beloved works (Haruhi Suzumiya, Clannad, and many more), I also found out that their works are somewhat... kind. They do have great stories that doesn't afraid to challenge ideals like others. But by looking at the character's design and their mannerism, the settings, and also by hearing the background songs, you can tell just how much love the studio put into them, and how much careful their treatments are so that the audience can still feel comfortable and left the movie with hearts fulfilled. Even if the story was about a ridiculous endless loop running around 8 episodes for 8 times to satirize the entire idea of peaceful escapism, their works would still leave the impression: that this is life, and it's quirky, and it's understandable, empathize-able, that life can, somewhat, somehow, turned out to be like this, and it's good. Unlike Ghibli with their conservative ideals, Kyoto Animation played a lot in their works while not forgetting about the importance of respecting the life they presented. And Liz and the Blue Bird is where Kyoto Animation reached their peak. It's not surprising to see how the studio took a different approach in their movies (see Tamako Love Story, K-On! The Movie, and Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya), considering how average movies only have around 90-120 minutes of runtime. With (perhaps) almost the same budget and time as their works in series, this gave them a lot of room to enhance the details in environment, but not so much about the worldbuilding. To solve the problem, Naoko Yamada used the tricks similar to what the live-action filmmaker does (you can see a lot of them in [here](www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_c1gQw6S6Q)). In this movie, similar to Portrait of the Lady on Fire, Autumn Sonata, and many more movies about two characters interacting with each other until they reach out their breaking point, the camera focused heavily on the protagonists private lives and the details surrounding it. But unlike its similar works, the environment is still breathable, still not afraid to portray the moe quirks that other characters have. This movie, while being so arthouse-sey, still have the taste of Kyoto Animation's identity. Okay, enough about the pseudo-analysis. Now, what do I really feel about the movie? Have you ever felt so disengaged by all romance portrayed in every movies (especially the arthouse one) ever? Like how kiss and sex, while natural, is often being put into it as the climax of romance? It's not a wrong approach to explore the nuance of love, but in the end, those kind of romance movies only acts as a brief entertainment in the ongoing race for a climax. Depicting two souls becoming one with those act is poetic, but I don't think that's the core idea of what love is. Love is about cherishing the very idea of the existence of your beloved ones. Liz and the Blue Bird is an exploration of that idea of love, through the hopeful gaze of Mizore for Nozomi, the disjointed sound of their footsteps, the swinging hair that strangely resembles a metronome when they're walking together, the way Mizore hold the key, the syncopated sounds of piano, the way Mizore follows Nozomi's move from touching the lockers to drinking the tap water, the slow movement from Mizore's hair when she leans toward Nozomi, the way Mizore gently grab her strands of hair when Nozomi talks to her, the way Mizore prepares her oboe and Nozomi prepares her flute, the way they both prepares their partiture, the way they communicate each other by the yet imperfect duet, the sad look Mizore gives when Nozomi talks to her friends, the way Nozomi opens the fairy tale book to retell the story from a distant land that they tried to present through music, and much much more other details that speaks the feeling of someone being grateful that they were born for that day. While being so carefully precise to portray the private life of a person and their deepest, innermost subjective feeling, it also portrays the love that feels so objective, so grounded that everyone can relate to it yet so heightened because of how special the feeling is. Every second of this movie is filled with tremendous amount of love, of feelings of longing for something. Every pixels drawn are an expression of intimacy. Everything in this movie is... Oh my God. What a movie. I honestly can't say more than that without spoiling the entire content. This movie is just too perfect. Thank you Kyoto Animation. Thank you Naoko Yamada.
without even being aware of what Liz was about beyond "anime", I was going into this fully aware of its adoring fans and reputation around people on letterboxd. i partially expected to either adore this or fucking despise it, but coming out of it i just sort of think this was just pretty solid, without much deeper to it than that. its overtly sentimental, heavily stylised and has a soundtrack that just doesn’t fucking relent for its entire runtime, ranging on a wide spectrum of melodramatic to very quiet, from well-orchestrated to unlistenable, and sometimes they even threw in motifs that sounded like what you would hear in a sitcom when a fat person was lumbering around. it’s clearly going for a soft, minimalistic atmosphere where it lets its technical aspects work the heavy lifting and allow its characters to breathe and flow within it, which I'm okay with, but it's used to an extent to where its calm atmosphere is the whole point of the movie, where the whole sense and tone of the film is communicated within the first 15 minutes. that isn't to say i wanted a whole high-stakes dramatic conclusion to this - though a better, more thought out ending would have been appreciated - because i genuinely found myself feeling endeared by its minimalism at moments, where instead of just feeling like a mood piece, the technical aspects and the characters actually worked off of each other, and created a genuine moment of tender kindness, specifically the scene where Mizoku talks about releasing the blue bird (her one scene of characterisation), cut with matching dialogue from nozomi, which as cliche of a moment as it sounds, I actually quite liked how it came out; it was still an overbearingly blunt scene that built so heavily off of the annoyingly overexplained central metaphor, but through a divine miracle there was a few minutes where the film worked harmoniously and it felt like a genuine moment of warmth rather than a feeling conveyed through insistence, something the film tried to do a lot with its atmosphere. i appreciate its goal of simplicity within itself, because it isn't a story that can be told as something highly dramatised; in concept this isn’t a million miles away from the story of drifting apart through change that All About Lily Chou-Chou had, exploring its idea through music. both are entirely different films in execution, but the presentation of both for a concept that is the same, being focused on its music but also being notably a quiet, partially minimalistic look at its narrative. that sort of tone works well in a story that is inherently something cerebral and sad to go through, losing one you feel deep connections with and the complexities within each. the key difference between the two films however, is Chou-Chou takes its time to understand the people within the film as its focal point, whereas Liz's focus on creating the atmosphere to do the heavy lifting drags down a lot of the characters within the film to feel underdeveloped. communication is largely non-verbal within the film, which winds up becoming washed away by the setting which overbears a lot of the sequences within the film. its an issue in the real-world narrative, and even worse of an issue within the fantasy narrative, where their existence as the heavy handed symbolism within the film becomes genuinely obnoxious. mizoku and nozomi both suffer from this issue as well, mizoku to a far worse extent as the quieter character within the film; her presentation as shy becomes more of looking like a wet sponge for a heavy portion of the film, and nozomi carries all the weight of the characterisation between the two in a way where the film starts to feel like a mess, of a friendship i found myself not believing ever existed because the presentation of it couldn't convey the depth it wanted to. i am glad i saw this because honestly it wasn’t as awful as i had partially suspected from its opening sequence, but it also was not as life changingly beautiful as id heard from a lot of people. there is a fantastic 30-40 minute animated short buried somewhere within here, and i cant help but feel disappointed that the 90 minute form this film exists in is what it turned out as. and as with all films, the presence of a Pitbull soundtrack would have fixed this whole film.
*Spoilers below Liz To Aoi Tori is in my opinion, Yamada Naoko’s magnum opus. Its melancholic execution of strong friendships combined with a take on music I haven’t seen before in modern media make for a perfect movie. I’ll split up my thoughts into a few sections. Friendship: I strongly relate to Mizore’s introverted personality, as I have been a rather soft-spoken person for a good chunk of my life. Sometimes, people don’t understand my desires in a given moment, because I’m as awkward as Mizore was, and just like Mizore, I hold my close friends very dear to my heart. Perhaps my friends had other things to do, but I always wanted to hang out with them, and a lot of the times, I couldn’t bring myself to impose upon them, in fear that they might hate me for doing so. I also think of myself as an overly “kind” person, willing to sacrifice my own time and desires to make others happy, which relates to Mizore holding herself back to allow Nozomi to keep up, in a way. Despite being a story about teenagers, this movie depicts friendship in such a mature way, using the story of “Liz and the Blue Bird” as a compliment to what Mizore and Nozomi went through together throughout the course of the movie. ————— Music: As a child, I played the piano because it was an extra-curricular activity my parents chose for me. I played piano in competitions and every year, did an exam in order to proceed to the next grade level in the “RCM system”. Over the years as I neared the end of the RCM system, my interest in playing waned, maybe because my schoolwork started piling up. I got quicky frustrated when I couldn’t play a certain section of a piece properly. I really wanted to quit. I didn’t understand what I was playing for. My parents, who wanted me to pass the final exam, and were paying for my lessons? That is what I believed, that I had to make my parents proud, so I pushed through, no matter how much I didn’t want to play. I didn’t really understand the meaning of playing music until I listened to more of it. Music is like words, or perhaps even a language, it conveys your feelings, and people can understand the player’s feelings once they listen to it. It is an art form, and its underlying theme is human interaction. Seeing and hearing Mizore and Nozomi play in that final sequence touched me in a way I haven’t really felt before. It further emphasized how feelings can be conveyed through a couple minutes of music. Mizore couldn’t articulate what she wanted in words, but through her oboe, that was possible. The movie really articulated the true meaning of what music can be, and I for one, really appreciated it. ————— The movie itself is very quiet and melancholic, and it could be boring for some, but it was one of the most meaningful pieces of media I have ever consumed. The friendship between Mizore and Nozomi felt so strong, yet so fragile that perhaps just a light tap would make all the building blocks just fall apart. It related to me on such a personal level that I did feel a ton of emotion of watching this, and it really had me in the happiest of tears possible. This is a movie I won’t soon forget, and I’m oh so grateful that anime can do such amazing things when it tries.
~~~
_Let's all take a step back and dip ourselves into introspection. Are we alright with our relationships? Is it helping us become a better person, are we helping them become one? What have we gained in keeping it as it is, what have we neglected? Can we be ourselves and bloom in each other's gardens or are we wilting in parasitic symbiosis?_
"To love is to set free". Now this is a quote I have heard a couple of times before, but when does this sentence is well used in the correct moments and situations? Liz to Aoi Tori is one of the best examples of such use, in a sensible and clever way.
__~~~ (To preface this write-up, I want to say that I'm not usually the type of person to write lengthy critiques/reviews and this is my first write-up of that sort so I apologize in advance if anything feels unstructured. However, I cherish this movie to such a strong degree that I feel the urge to share some of my personal ramblings regarding this movie.)~~~__ ______________ Liz and the Blue Bird is my favorite anime by far, if not my favorite piece of media ever, and I would go as far as to call it a perfect movie. From the delicate display of its lost-in-life leads to the understated yet emotionally-swelling themes of love and regret, Liz and the Blue Bird weaves a heart-wrenchingly beautiful tale, one that many viewers can resonate with because Liz serves as a truly introspective look into even the very essence of humanity itself.~~~ img440(https://i.imgur.com/NIuf9u1.jpg) ~~~ The story focuses on the relationship between Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki, two characters you're already familiar with if you've seen the parent story, Hibike! Euphonium. While the dynamic between the two leads was already established in the seasonal, Naoko Yamada greatly expands upon their relationship through masterful direction and visual storytelling that I haven't really seen in any other anime. The production value is incredible, with a beautifully minimalist art-style, soft and gentle color scheme, and tracks that perfectly complement these traits. Much in contrast to its parent series, Liz lacks the melodrama that is well-associated with Hibike. There are far less moments of dialogue and plot developments in Liz, but that serves to work in its strength. Instead of letting them tell the story, Liz masterfully displays its narrative through incredibly deliberate animation and sound choices. From the characters' detailed body movements to the atmospheric background tracks that flawlessly complement the characters' actions yet never accidentally overwhelm them, every character is brought to life in a way I have never seen before in anime. Liz utilizes a far more subdued method of storytelling compared to Hibike, and tonally it is also completely different as well, but that's okay. Liz isn't about a climactic musical performance with drama weaved into it, but rather it it is about the nature of human connections, cherishing your loved ones while also learning to let them go. ~~~ img550(https://i.imgur.com/4LzsebU.jpgg)~~~ `` The dynamic between Mizore and Nozomi was portrayed in a very melancholic way, directly paralleling the in-universe story __Liz and the Blue Bird__. Through the movie's 90-minute runtime, you watch the already-fragile relationship slowly break down with each subtle advancements. The term "disjoint" is shown at the start of the movie, denoting the tension and emotional disconnect between the two that permeates the entire runtime. The relationship felt so fragile to its core that one small touch could send the whole thing tumbling down. Mizore's dependence on Nozomi combined with Nozomi's brewing sense of inferiority continued to heighten their conflicting thoughts and emotions, reinforcing the "disjoint" that is present in their relationship. There were so many times I felt it as if everything was about to crumble apart, and each time it left me feeling devastated. I don't remember the last time I watched something that left me feeling like this emotionally, something that felt so visceral that it affected me to my core. But that feeling is proof of the strong intimacy between Mizore and Nozomi, what it means to be with someone you absolutely cherish. But as life continues to march forward, one must learn that it is acceptable to "let go", learn to stand by themselves without relying on the support of someone else. There's no need to hamper yourself, that feeling of being "lost" is all too familiar with many of us. Everything culminates in the movie's final moments: Mizore's powerful oboe solo represents her learning to find the value in her own self without relying on others while at the same time, Nozomi's confrontation showcases her learning to accept herself and her own values for what they are. In a wider sense, they are both each other's Liz and Blue Bird: they've freed each other from the shackles of codependency. They acknowledge their relationship and, although bittersweet, they've both paved a new road for themselves for the future, allowing them to spread their wings and fly. Despite "simply" being a movie about two high school girls, it tackles the concept of human relationships in an incredibly mature and nuanced way that I've never really seen before in the medium. It showcases that it's okay to let go, to remember your cherished relationships and then pursue your own path in life. Doing so is a very hard and painful choice to make for anyone, but as mentioned earlier, that feeling is proof that the bond truly existed. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/SuvlER6.png)~~~ ____ On a more personal note, Mizore is a character that I relate to so heavily. From her more withdrawn, introverted nature to her anxiety and overwhelming tendency to overthink things, I really connected with and felt for this girl so closely. She felt like a real, human person with normal thoughts and emotions just like anyone else. All the seemingly trivial worries she had were so evocative of my own self, letting me contemplate upon my own life experiences and the feelings I felt back then.`` I can understand why some people would consider this movie slow and boring, but to me it is the most meaningful and heartfelt piece of media I have ever consumed. I could go on and on about why I absolutely love this movie and why it means so much to me. Everything about the movie felt so personal to me and spoke to me in a way very few media have, so I just want to conclude this write-up by simply saying that I am truly, truly thankful to Naoko Yamada and the insanely talented team behind this movie for creating an incredible and heart-wrenching masterpiece that I'll likely never forget.
__THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS __ Sound! Euphonium is a fantastic anime to begin with. The heartfelt journey of Kumiko Oumae and her bandmates was captivatingly entertaining. And what this movie does is make a great series even better. Directed by Naoko Yamada (K-on!, A Silent Voice, Heike Story, etc), Liz and the Blue Bird is a drama SOL movie that tells the story of Mizore Yoroizuka and her best friend Nozomi Kasaki. One can say that it’s the second half of their story, after the first half in Hibike season 2. The first thing you’ll notice is the gorgeous art and animation. The film’s a visual feast: each scene is drawn in intricate detail, vibrant colors and with stellar backgrounds. __Disjoint__ Kitauji High School’s concert band is going to play the titular piece, Liz and the Blue Bird, which is based on an old fairy tale of the same name. The Oboe and the Flute, played by Mizore and Nozomi respectively, represent the voices of Liz and Blue Bird here. But they are unable to play well because of their inability to connect with their respective characters. __The Fairy Tale and Letting Go__ The titular tale is presented in order to parallel Mizore and Nozomi, as they see themselves in their respective characters, and animated with it’s own distinct artstyle. The story is about a girl named Liz who meets an unnamed blue bird that can turn into a human. The two become best friends and start living together, but it tragically ends with them being forced to part ways. The two girls’ relationship grows strained over time. Mizore deliberately holds back her talent because she is anxious that Nozomi could abandon her, as Nozomi quitting the band two years ago still worries her to this day. While Nozomi’s growing dissatisfaction with Mizore being the only one tutored by Niiyama sensei causes her to think that Mizore is gonna leave her behind one day. Eventually, they realize that they are closer to being the opposite of the characters they see themselves as: With Mizore being the blue bird who would have to let go of her attachment to be able to live her life, and Nozomi being Liz who would let go of the bird so as to not weigh it down. If the viewer thinks about it more, they would realize that both Mizore and Nozomi are each others’ Liz and blue bird. That’s the duality of this metaphor, that they both need to let go of something and reach out to what they actually want to do. __The Third Movement__ Yamada’s visual storytelling shines in this section of the story. Mizore, now able to understand the reasoning behind Liz’s actions, plays without holding back when they practice. Nozomi tries to keep up with her, but comes to accept that she simply cannot reach Mizore’s level and starts tearing up. Afterwords, Nozomi confesses that she lied about going to music school with Mizore, while Mizore pours her heart out about how much Nozomi means to her. This conversation culminates with the I love you hug scene. Mizore, upset that Nozomi seemed to be ignoring her feelings, hugs her and fully conveys the extent of her love for Nozomi. To which, Nozomi replies “I love your Oboe” All this time, Mizore’s Oboe had been a representation of her feelings, as it was the one thing that had connected her with her best friend. And with Nozomi’s reply, there is a pause. They had now mutually realized they had felt the same way about each other and didn’t have to worry after all. "Thank you Mizore, Thank you." __Conclusion__ This was probably the best way to end the film. It leaves on an optimistic note. Mizore and Nozomi had broken free of their codependency (represented by the two birds flying in the sky), chose their own respective ways of life that they can follow without issues, and their friendship had become even closer now that they have come to understand each other better. This can be seen if you contrast the beginning with the two girls walking with a visible distance between them, and at the end where they walk side by side. On top of that, the “disjoint” screen has the “dis” part crossed out and now it reads “joint”. Mizore is one of my favorite characters ever. Everything about this girl feels so real to me. Her tendency to get anxious and overthink stuff that were made worse with her circumstances was very relatable. A lot of the thoughts and worries she had, were stuff that felt very reminiscent to my own life experiences and at times, made me reflect on those past feelings. She just feels fully realized and realistic as a person and one that I strongly felt for. Liz and the Blue Bird is an amazing movie that brings out the best of Hibike without any of the complaints I had with the main series at times. It provides a satisfying conclusion to Mizore’s character, Nozomi’s character, and their friendship altogether. It uplifts Sound Euphonium as a whole to be a defining example of anime for me, and one that gave me a more positive outlook on a few personal things about myself.
This movie has been like a cornerstone that I return to every now and then, to get reminded of my progress in my “journey” called life. Every time I rewatch this movie, I realize some details that never occurred to me in my previous watch-throughs, which excites me. It feels like I can never get enough of watching KyoAni. The more I get exposed to what they have to offer, the deeper I go into the rabbit hole and I end up loving every minute of it. Today, I will discuss my journey with “Liz And The Bluebird”. Before we go in deeper, we need to set some groundwork so the contents of this review can be understandable. So, spoilers for the movie ahead. As, in this review, My intention is not to give pieces of information a first-time comer would need before watching this movie. In this review, what I want to achieve is to tell my understanding of the story and show you how special this movie actually is to me. In my own words. # __Let’s start.__ ___ The movie starts with a fairly simple but intensive introduction scene. And it gives context to our side story characters, Liz, and the bluebird. And shows us the initial impression of Liz towards the bluebird. This scene is vital to our plotline and it will be used as a main building block for the narrative of the movie. And, to further imply this, right after this sequence, they introduce our main protagonists for the story. Mizore and Nozomi. The similarities between bluebird's effect on Liz is similar to the effect that Nozomi achieves on Mizore. This way of telling the story by hinting at the major events of the story with a side narrative, and right afterward, showing us little indications of the progress in the main narrative is going to be the common way of communication throughout the movie. (and it's pretty darn entertaining) This means that Liz’s interpretation is the lonesome person with a lot of passion, while the bluebird's representation is a person who wanders around freely and is filled with a lot of energy. Like a bluebird. (lol) I have to add my insight here. Naoko Yamada and her team have done a great job with both the toning and the direction of the art and leading the entire storyline overall. The atmosphere and the world-building are less dramatic compared to its parent story, Hibike! Euphonium. But this was meant to be. If we were to compare, what Liz and the Bluebird want to achieve is showing us a stand-alone story, completely separate from the message that Hibike! Euphonium wanted to tell with its heavily sophisticated approach. While the color tones are a lot brighter in this movie. The world is shaped in such a way that it just focuses on the world that Nozomi and Mizore interact with. Where am I going with this? I am gonna answer that with another question. What did Liz and the Bluebird wanted to achieve? As I stated previously, the fairy tale story is trying to simulate the emotions that will be conveyed throughout the main story. The story of Liz and the Bluebird. This story is always relevant to the contradictions of the main story. And they managed to show it to us through these little scenes: ___ webm(https://files.catbox.moe/3eb4ny.webm) ___ Those really add up to the effect that the directing team had in mind. Scene by scene, the “disjoint” that was hinted at in the intro of the movie is getting more and more tense. As we get deeper into the movie, the true emotions of our protagonists, Mizore and Nozomi’s emotions become clearer to us. Through these little scenes. Their intention when they had their first interaction, the way that they got so attached to their current friendship, the reason behind the fog that has been building on their friendship wall, all of these ideas were shown to us in that “fiction” story of Liz and the bluebird. And hinted at its progression in these little scenes. Directing the movie in a way like this can be time-limiting as it’d require a lot of planning to fit the entire storyline in a fleshed manner. But the way Naoko Yamada and her team tackled the directing of this movie comes into the spotlight here. Every LITTLE SCENE serves a purpose, whether it be the background choice after a critical breakpoint in the existing contradictions or the SoL interactions that shape the character's perspective of the world. Bit by bit. The image that they wanted to create takes a proper shape. Everything is so well-represented and smoothly leads us to the crescendo of the movie. And it leads to a goddamm worthwhile experience that you can never stop coming back to. As you watch more, you want to see more details that you may have missed before. Things you haven’t noticed before, with each watch-through, things become more apparent for you. That’s why, at the beginning of the review, I mentioned that this movie had become like a cornerstone to me. I always find joy in rewatching this movie once in a while. Since I have watched this movie quite a few times, I want to talk about the understanding and the intentions behind the story that I have noticed over a few hours. It is time for me to give my personal insight into what the story wanted to convey. In my second watch-through of the movie, I realized the quality of the directing. But the message wasn’t fully apparent to me. Especially with the scenes like, “But now… both of them are Liz. And the Bluebird.” But with today’s rewatch, I came to realize the real intentions that had been hidden from my very eyes until now. >“To be friends with someone is more than just fitting their emotional needs. It is about understanding their emotions.” At the story's beginning, Mizore is presented as closer to Liz, while Nozomi is the imitation of the bluebird. She is the admiration of Mizore, she is her WORLD. Mizore was completely dependent on Nozomi to fill her empty void that she wouldn't be able to otherwise. But as the story progresses, the gap between Liz and the Bluebird slowly shrinks. Both of them feel each other missing, while both of them find a different place that they can go. And when we approach the climax, they both put themselves in the place of Liz. And the bluebird. And this reflects their playing… It plays a massive role in developing one of my all-time favorite scenes in my entire anime journey so far. ___ webm(https://files.catbox.moe/nfr7g8.webm) ___ Wait a second… I completely forgot to introduce the fact that this is a music anime and that our characters are working for a music competition, and one of their motives is to succeed at the competition as well... Whatever. Not like it matter- Yeah… That was a big oversight in my department. But I mentioned that Hibike! Euphonium is the parent anime for this piece of story so it should be fine. Anyways… ___ # __Time for closing thoughts: __ ##I can always come back to watching this scene and have my emotions played. I can always bawl my eyes out and remind myself of the obvious. That, trying to understand this journey called life made me who I am today. And that this movie is a big part of it. ##I am grateful for what KyoAni has done to me. This story of Mizore and Nozomi, trying to battle this thing called friendship will always have a place in my heart. Even though I don’t relate to the environment viscerally. I hope this was a good journey for everyone else as well. And on that note, I'm taking my leave. Enjoy!
Before we begin, this movie looks nice. I like nice looking things, so it raises the score. *sigh* (spoilers ahead) Kyoani's critically acclaimed Liz and the Blue Bird is a movie that is irreparably tied to another one of their anime "Hibike! Euphonium" so it will inevitably draw comparison. The goals of that show contrast a timid shy girl amongst an entire community that is the Kitauji High School Orchestra. It's intimate and patient with it's character development, concerned not just with Oumae but the people around her. It's directing is quiet and serene, bombastic and heartful, somber and empty. Whatever Tatsuya Ishihara and his team were concerned with when adapting the source material, the story that comes through is poignant in ways that I find hard to see in other Kyoto Animation works, or even many other anime in general. Liz and the Blue Bird takes some interesting risks in it's exploration of certain characters, but the overall construction falls flat in conveying what makes Hibike's characters and their stories so special. The movies focus is on the relationship between Mizore, the quiet oboe player from season 2, and her best friend Nozomi, as they have to come to terms with their direction past high school as they will eventually part ways. The direction is handled by the lauded Naoko Yamada, doing what is by far her most experimental work in terms of it's communication of character dynamics. A Silent Voice is what I believe Yamada's best work to be, as it's able to bring out the best in human relationships by allowing a certain level of openness to all the characters in the film. Isolation is a theme, as seen with the X characters that convey Shouya's inability to form proper connections, but the film is just as willing to take them off to show real growth in Shouya in learning to love himself and those around him. It's that vibrancy that many also like in Yamada's adaption of K-On or even Tomoko Love Story, that is completely absent from Liz and the Blue Bird. I think the first thing that stands out is Liz's character designs, which are generally more rounded and less (for a lack of a better term) moe. The color palette has been completely muted and the lighting used is flat, which is used to match the consistency between the storybook scenes and the classroom scenes. It's unfortunate with certain background characters being completely butchered, Oumae in Liz loses her iconic poofy curly hair turning her into just another anime character. The shinyness of the instruments, the warmth of the lights reflecting across the river, the rays of the sun as the characters go home after a long day's practice, all gone for something that is flat and (im so sorry) soulless. The aesthetic change is not something that will necessarily ruin the movie for me, anything Kyoto Animation makes will at least be good, but I thought this loss of detail was worth noting. It's Yamada's insistence in having the viewer soak in it's scenes in an attempt to bring out it's characters... that just doesn't work. Yamada isn't Edward Yang, isn't Shunji Iwai, isn't Wim Wenders, isn't Richard Linklater, isn't whatever film auteur she's trying so hard to copy off of. I know that animation can do anything, it's fine to allow room for creativity in a creative medium, but that creativity turns to self indulgence when we spend the first 7 minutes of your 90 minute movie walking to a goddamn classroom. None of the characters in the film talk to one another, one melancholic scene drags onto the next with the pace of a glacier in it's attempt to build character dynamics. The term "show don't tell" is often thrown around in film criticism as a catch all for directors that fill their stories with exposition, but what the opposite arrives at is this right here, a movie that seems to show us everything while saying nothing. Some might have found Oumae's exposition in Hibike to be cliche, I found it deeply insightful into her character. Quiet characters are allowed to exist, it's fine to allow the viewer to infer someone going through deep pain when it is not explicitly shown to us, but watching that unfold is that much more rewarding, in validating in understanding of the character within the conflict of the story. It's even more unfortunate that the focus of the film is on Mizore, a character who already had plenty of screentime during the second season, which leads the plot itself to feel somewhat redundant. Nothing within Liz is something that can't be predicted in advance if one knows the story Mizore is reading for the performance. Thematic parallels are meaningful, telling stories about how people are effected by stories is commentary that can be enlightening and important. However what happens in Liz doesn't compete as a story to sufficiently breathe life into the themes it's trying so hard to give poignancy. The story that Mizore is reading is a children's tale of a bird that comes to rest within the home of a woman where the two become friends, however the woman forces the bird to leave so that it can pursue a fulfilling life. The book inspired a famous duet that Mizore and Nozomi will eventually rehearse, where the Oboe (played by Mizore) represented the woman, and the flute (played by Nozomi) represented the bluebird. Whether one accepts the role as the woman forced to let the bird go, or the bird who leaves the woman, it's a theme of learning to let go and trace separate paths. The understanding the characters have toward this theme is barely fleshed out, aside from Mizori's interest in the source material being used as a source of tension, but the movie isn't as much concerned with Mizori and Nozomi as it is the symbolism between them. This however leads into the best part of the film itself, the performance which is based from the book. It's a powerful piece with the dynamic directing expected of Hibike. It's just the fact that the movie failed to convey their relationship within it's run time to make me care about the people playing the piece rather than the piece itself. The end result is a movie that plays into the worse aspects of yuri bait media that Hibike also unfortunately plays into, adding to the confused communication within the film. Consider a scene from season 2, Reina touches Oumae's cheek and brings her face close to Oumae's, the lighting is passionate, blocking out the surrounding world, they are completely alone. This is insane whiplash noting her undeniable love for Taki sensei, communicating mixed messages. Literally no one gets that close to one another without romance being part of the equation, even if eventually dismissed. If someone tried to get close to me cause they felt really strongly about something they wanted to tell me, I'm gonna tell them about personal space. Yes, personal space is important, being able to bypass personal space is a sign of intimacy, intimacy is a core aspect of romance. This is yuri bait. Quite interesting how a large majority of the fanbase thinks that Mizori is a lesbian even though there is literally no canonical proof of such a claim ("daisuki no hug" doesn't equate to "daisuki"), it's because of how the story is communicated. Gay or straight, the end result is still a narrative based in cowardice. The end of season two, Reina finds the courage to confess her love to her teacher, the concert hall is large and the stakes are on the line for winning gold. It's a powerful scene, this is two seasons worth of build up. Even though they didn't win, Reina meets with Taki again later, and it's made 100% clear what was being expressed, and Taki sensei acknowledges her feelings. It's not pedophilia, it's not predation, Taki is 100% loyal to his late wife, but the feeling is acknowledge for what it is. It's one of the most powerful moments in anime in dealing with a delicate topic. Mizori meets with Nozomi after their performance, the classroom is sterile, and no one is around. Despite trying to convey her thoughts the best she can, to what amounts to a confession of love (in it's communication), Nozomi nonchalantly pushes her off after noting "I love your oboe." Even after the performance is done, the plot of which it's based is followed to it's bitter end. The next paragraph has light spoilers for the anime Revolutionary Girl Utena and Revue Starlight ~!My mind inevitably turns to the seminole anime classic, Revolutionary Girl Utena, where the love the characters have for one another is strong enough to break down the systems that govern the very plot of the world for 36 episodes, it's impact was powerful enough for it to still be discussed and lauded as the classic it is for over 2 decades. I similarly consider Revue Starlight as a piece that actually has a lesbian couple in Kaoruko and Futaba whilst also dealing with the eventual departure they will have as graduation looms over. What makes these series stand out that much more in comparison to Liz is it's willingness to actually take that step into exploring that love at it's fullest, even if that love must end, even if that love leads to pain for both of it's characters, that love should at least be acknowledged.!~ The worst part however is that I don't hate Liz as much as I might have alluded to in this piece. It's dull directing didn't quite hint toward any emotion I may have felt strongly for, just simply the ideas of it's story flaccidly filling my screen for an hour and a half of distraction. I will say Hibike itself is excellent and I'm happily catching up on it. As for a hot take, I seem to be in the minority, so I thought I'd share for anyone curious (also to cure a mild case of writers block). Regardless of such, thanks for reading.