Rizu to aoi tori (2018) Reviews

• Firstly disjoint, then joint

  FrenchEddieFelson2019-04-21

  A sweet tale about the deep friendship between two very different teens who musically complement each other. It's a visual masterpiece based on aquarelle-like paints. An observation rare enough to be noted: I have often felt that the French subtitles pollute certain breathtaking scenes. Knowing that I do not speak Japanese at all, they are nevertheless necessary. As a synthesis: I loved it!

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• Learning to fly

  sarap13002018-11-11

  "Liz and the Bluebird," is a new film directed by Naoko Yamada for Kyoto Animation. If you were a fan of Sound Euphonium, you'll smile at all the Easter eggs delicately placed throughout the story. The movie is set in the same high school and in the same universe as Sound Euphonium, and features the same orchestra director/music teacher. But this time, Yamada tells a different story of these music students, weaving the real life relationship between two best friends and a special duet they are supposed to perform based on a folk tale entitled "Liz and the Bluebird." Mizore and Nozomi are best friends. Mizore is very shy and withdrawn, always feeling lonely and lost, while Nozomi is an effervescent social butterfly. Nozomi seems to have it all: charm, wit, talent, personality. Even her ponytail swishes with an air of confidence as she walks. Mizore earnestly feels that she cannot exist without Nozomi around her. But these girls are now in their senior year in high school. It's time to think about graduation, college, and those hard decisions about everything that comes after. Although neither girl feels ready, it's time for them to grow up. All of this is plays out beautifully through the musical piece, "Liz and the Bluebird," a story about a young, lonely woman who befriends a magical girl in blue. Yamada uses an actual high school orchestra for the soundtrack, which makes the story so much more poignant as our main characters struggle through the piece and with their relationship to each other. "Liz and the Bluebird" is a lovely little coming of age story. Yamada's genius lies in her ability to focus in and magnify that magical moment when a young person finally reaches that crest of self-actualization, when they see themselves as they truly are and how they impact those around them, as well as how much others impact them. Yamada seems to understand the true nature of friendship more than any other movie director. She also has a clear understanding of the role parents and teachers can play in a young person's life. While in A Silent Voice, it was the parents who had a strong impact, in Liz and the Bluebird, it's the teachers, Ms. Niyama, in particular, who gently guides the two girls in their journey of musical analysis and self-reflection. If you just want a sweet movie that's a breath of fresh air, this is the one.

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• Kyoto Animation's Masterpiece

  zak552019-01-19

  If you want a film that gives you tons of action, an incredibly complex story, or a dark tale, this isn't the movie for you. However, if you're in the mood for a stunning character piece that tells a simple but superb story than this is a movie for you. It tells it's story partially through the stunning body language displayed by the characters as while you might not hear what the characters are thinking all of the time, you can certainly gauge it from how they have their arms and legs positioned, expressions that briefly flash across their face, or how they are postured. Liz and The Blue Bird requires you to pay attention and it rewards you for doing so. It also uses music (It is a music anime) to give the most emotional moment of the movie that is soon followed by it's most enthralling part. The voice acting also carries the move to the next level as each actress gives an outstanding performance that gives further depth to their characters. You also don't really need to watch the series to get the characters as they were only side companions to the main story. But here, they take center stage and honestly surpass their predecessor in every regard. So yeah...go watch this movie.

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• For the Diehard Fan

  westsideschl2019-04-22

  Unless you're a diehard fan (trans: you have to be near death to not like ...) then this is really just slowww movvving poorly developed characters with a confusing script (i.e. relations between girls; background on individual personalities) that could have been much better. Plot: A bluebird becomes a human and friend, but friend has to decide if bluebird is better off as a bird vs. as a human friend. Problem: Humans, let the bird decide. Rest of it: Animation quality is typical poor 2-D flat unmoving painted backdrops with single (sometimes two if simple) moving foreground figures which usually move in an unnatural stilted way. Animation of foreground main characters are simple line drawings with no detail. Females, as is typical in animé, are sexualized w/big eyes, small chins, and unhealthily super skinny bodies. To further support that theme there are lots of shots of short skirts in motion.

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• Liz and the blue bird

  WeAreLive2019-04-16

  Summary Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki are a pair of best friends in their final year of high school. They're both obsessed with the school's brass band club. With Mizore on the oboe and Nozomi on the flute, they spend their days in happiness, until the club begins to practice songs inspired by the fairy tale Liz und ein Blauer Vogel - "Liz and the Blue Bird". Immersed in this story, Mizore and Nozomi begin to realize that there may be no such thing as being together forever. I find the plot of the film very good and In do like how this film is related back to the book Liz and the blue bird. It is especially beautiful how most of this movie is about music and friendship. Animation and art style wise it is very good which include background and character models mainly the cute and beautiful girls. This movie is good overall which any age can enjoy although there is a bit of mild language in the movie but not much.

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