Sakamichi no Apollon (anime)
A transfer student learns that life can be better with a little help from some new friends and a shared passion for playing jazz in the new anime series Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope).
The series is set in the summer of 1966, and first-year high-school student Kaoru Nishimi is struggling to adjust after moving to a seaside town and living with his uncle's family. It's never easy adjusting to a new place or easy fitting in at a new school.
A talented classical pianist, Kaoru discovers there is more than just Mozart and Chopin out there soon, the world of jazz music starts to change his life. Thanks to his new friends Sentaro and Ritsuko, Kaoru learns to play jazz and starts to understand that life isn't just a matter of playing the role of dutiful son.
Sakamichi no Apollon is based on the Shogakukan-Manga-Award-winning series by Yuki Kodama. The anime series has been licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks, which says it will be releasing the series very soon, and that it will be available via digital outlets with DVD and Blu-ray releases to follow.
This is an endearing anime that is very well written, and is a great way to learn about the world of jazz, too. The show features music from jazz greats such as Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Milt Jackson, and Bill Evans, to name just a few. If you love both anime and music, you can't afford to miss out on this series.
