ReviewBlue Giant movie review: Japanese anime with Hiromi Uehara’s dazzling jazz soundtrack impresses with its tale of ambition and sacrifice

Name: 2月17(金)公開｜映画『BLUE GIANT』予告編
Uploaded: 2023-08-12T05:15:08.000Z
Description: 2月17(金)公開｜映画『BLUE GIANT』予告編

Directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa and starring Yuki Yamada, Blue Giant follows a young musician pursuing his dream of becoming the world’s greatest jazz saxophonist

Where the film stands out is in its incredible musical performances, with celebrated jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara providing the soundtrack

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Dai Miyamoto (left, voiced by Yuki Yamada) and Sawabe (Shotaro Mamiya) in a still from the Japanese anime “Blue Giant” (category IIA; Japanese), directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa.

James Marsh

Published: 1:15pm, 12 Aug 2023

4/5 stars

Bursting off the screen in a cacophony of improvised jam sessions and electrifying solo performances, Blue Giant proves an intoxicating kaleidoscope of ambition, passion, sacrifice and all that jazz.

Employing the same cutting-edge technology as recent blockbuster The First Slam Dunk, director Yuzuru Tachikawa fuses motion capture and rotoscoping with traditional animation techniques to create a fully immersive blend of image, story and genuine musical dexterity that will delight anime fans and jazz aficionados alike.

Adapted from Shin’ichi Ishizuka’s manga of the same name, Blue Giant follows determined young musician Dai Miyamoto (voiced by Yuki Yamada) as he leaves his hometown of Sendai for the bright lights of Tokyo to pursue his dream of becoming the world’s greatest jazz saxophonist.

2月17(金)公開｜映画『BLUE GIANT』予告編

Crashing with a former classmate, Tamada (Amane Okayama), and getting a job on a construction site, Dai begins scouring the city’s jazz clubs in search of an opportunity.

He catches a performance by Sawabe (Shotaro Mamiya), an inspired young pianist, and convinces the musician to meet him at a sleepy jazz bar, run by a former club singer, where he dazzles Sawabe with his saxophone.