The first Japanese Amazon Original movie HOMESTAY, a live-action adaptation of Eto Mori’s classic novel ‘Colorful,’ will be released worldwide to Prime members on February 11, 2022.
The film is a moving mystery following a dejected soul reaching the train station to death. He is told that he is ‘lucky’ and will have another chance at life, and is then placed in the body of a 14-year-old boy named Makoto Kobayashi who has just committed suicide. Watched over by a neutral spirit, the soul must figure out what his greatest sin and mistake was in his former life before his 100-day time limit in Makoto’s body runs out. He also wants to find out why Makoto decided to end his life in the first place.
Japanese rock band ZUTOMAYO has been chosen to perform the film’s theme. Debuting in 2018, the group is known for being secretive, never releasing a full member list, and crediting different people for music, arrangements, and music video production after each release. The only recurring member, an unidentified woman named ACA-Ne, wrote the song Sode no Kiruto exclusively for the film. With a clear voice and powerful lyrics delicately describing the subtleties found in a young man’s heart, the music adds to an already emotional story.
ACA-Ne commented on the film. “The original novel was a big influence on me when I was in school, so I’m so thankful to have been chosen to provide music for the film. I wanted to really write something for those struggling–to bring out all of those difficult feelings. Please enjoy the song!”
Be sure to watch the film on February 11!
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HOMESTAY
Streaming Release Date: February 11, 2022
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Amazon Music’s first music entertainment show for kids and families to be released in Japan is here! Hee! Hee Hoo! premiered on Prime Video on January 26. The four-member vocal and dance group Atarashii Gakko! is also participating in the project.
Hee! Hee Hoo! is a body-themed four-episode series featuring surreal and psychedelic visuals along with Amazon Music Original music for young kids and their parents. This project was made to entertain and educate babies and children by using original images and music to address the physical changes they’ll experience from birth to death and to explain the sensations they feel.
The members of Atarashii Gakko! appear in the first episode, performing the song BABY which was written exclusively for the show.
<Comment from Atarashii Gakko!> “The theme for this show is so great–the four of us had so much fun coming up with ideas, writing lyrics, and making choreography! I hope even fetuses can enjoy it!!”
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Hee! Hee! Hoo!
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video (4 episodes total)
*Anyone with an Amazon.co.jp account can watch.Episode 1: Aren’t Toes Amazing?
Guest: Atarashii Gakko!
Song: BABY
URL: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0B8MSWK19 -
In 2018, the film Penguin Highway won the Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation and Best Animated Feature at the 42nd Japan Academy Awards. In 2020, A Whisker Away was released globally on Netflix and ranked in the Top 10 most viewed films in over 30 countries. Understandably, Studio Colorido has been receiving acclaim from international audiences, and the company released its new film Drifting Home on September 16. It is now available to stream worldwide and is also being shown in a number of theaters around Japan. ZUTOMAYO performed both the theme song and the insert song for the film. Debuting in 2018, the group is known for being secretive, never releasing a full member list, and crediting different people for music, arrangements, and music video production after each release. The only recurring member is an unidentified woman named ACA-Ne, who serves as the lyricist, composer, and vocalist. With over 600 million views on YouTube and more than 2 million channel subscribers, the group has found popularity with audiences around the world. The recently released music video for the film’s theme song, Kiete Shimaisou desu (I’m Going to Disappear), was made up entirely of footage from the film and managed to reach over 1 million views in six days. A new clip features the insert song Natsugare (Summer Slump). The video itself captures a moment in the lives of Kosuke, Natsume, and other youngsters as they attempt to survive on a drifting apartment complex. The clip was produced by Hyperball, the same company that produced the Natsugare music video released in April. The animation was created by famous artists niL, Hamafuku, Tsuda, and Shimarisu Yukichi. If you haven’t watched the movie yet, what are you waiting for?
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ZUTOMAYO x Drifting Home Insert Song
Natsugare Special Movie: https://youtu.be/Nmemc-b6cdU
Drifting Home Official Website: https://www.hyoryu-danchi.com/
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Studio Colorido is best known for the award-winning animated films Penguin Highway and A Whisker Away. The company will release its next film, Drifting Home, on September 16. The anime movie will be available on Netflix and will be screened in select theaters around Japan on the same day. The film follows sixth-graders Kosuke and his childhood friend Natsume. One day during summer vacation, they visit an apartment building that is about to be demolished, where the two of them used to live. Suddenly, Kosuke, Natsume, and their friends find themselves overtaken by a strange phenomenon, and the whole building is suddenly surrounded by an ocean. The group must find their way home from the drifting building. Ahead of the film’s release, the music video for the theme song has been released! Zutomayo performs the track, titled Kiete Shimaisou desu (I’m Going to Disappear). The video was produced by the film’s director Hiroyasu Ishida, and the lyrics were based on the animated production’s story. Along with the music video, a new pre-release visual drawn by Akihiro Nagae, the character designer for the film, has also been unveiled. The image shows the subtle bond between Kosuke and Natsume, along with a breathtakingly beautiful sky and sea. Kiete Shimaisou desu (I’m Going to Disappear) Music Videohttps://youtu.be/OxcnK1s2Fww
Comment from Director Hiroyasu Ishida
“This film was made by taking on the pain of a young boy and a young girl. I think this song was made in much the same way.Traveling, venturing out with a companion, having someone to lighten the load…those are happy things. I made this music video with the hope that it would be a worthy companion to such a powerful song. Please, watch and enjoy.” ©コロリド・ツインエンジンパートナーズInformation
Drifting Home
Streaming on Netflix worldwide on September 16
(In select theaters in Japan on the same day)
Official Site: https://www.hyoryu-danchi.com/
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Studio Colorido, the animation studio behind the award-winning 2018 anime film Penguin Highway and the 2020 film A Whisker Away, is getting ready to release a new movie on Netflix worldwide. The studio’s long-awaited film Drifting Home will be available to stream on Netflix on September 16, 2022. It will also open in select theaters in Japan on the same day. The film follows sixth-graders Kosuke and his childhood friend Natsume. One day during summer vacation, they visit an apartment building that is about to be demolished, where the two of them used to live. Suddenly, Kosuke, Natsume, and their friends find themselves overtaken by a strange phenomenon, and the whole building is suddenly surrounded by an ocean. The group must find their way home from the drifting building. A new trailer for the film has been unveiled, along with some gorgeous new stills.
The popular group ZUTOMAYO has been chosen to perform the film’s theme song Kieteshimai Sou Desu (It Seems I’m Fading Away). The group also performs the insert song Natsugare (Summer Slump), which has already been released. The nostalgic and refreshing track is sure to bring back memories of summer. Trailer Be sure to watch the film when it appears on Netflix in September! Information
Drifting Home
Streaming on Netflix worldwide on September 16 (In select theaters in Japan on the same day)
Official Site: https://www.hyoryu-danchi.com/
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Currently-running anime series takt.op Destiny now has a dedicated playlist on Amazon Music! The series, available to stream in the west on Crunchyroll, tells the story of a world shaken by a black meteorite. Monsters appear from the crater, and those who hold the power of the “Musicart” can use the power of music and sound to defeat the beasts. The soundtrack features a selection of tracks used in the series and was made possible by Universal Music, which owns the world’s oldest classical label Deutsche Grammophon. The playlist also features commentary on each piece of classical music by Kouki Uchiyama, who plays the role of Takt Asahina in the series. Featuring pieces by Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein, this is a great way to learn more about classical music through anime!
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takt op.Destiny Anime Songs
https://music.amazon.co.jp/playlists/B09HKK2ZCV
*The soundtrack is now available on Amazon Music Unlimited and Amazon Music Prime.
*The playlist does not include the opening or ending tracks.
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On August 13, 2021, the fourth and final installment of the Rebuild ofEvangelion film series, Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time, was made available on Amazon Prime Video exclusively for Prime members. The service has also released Evangelion: 1.0 You are (Not) Alone, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, and Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo. To commemorate the newest film’s worldwide streaming release, a new YouTube video is highlighting some of the most popular scenes from the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. Check out how the characters sound in 11 different languages! Be warned, it contains spoilers for the final film!
(The languages featured are: English, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, Latin-American Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, and the original Japanese.) From hearing Shinji’s famed line ‘I mustn’t run away, I mustn’t run away’ in Japanese to hearing Kaworu utter “I’m looking forward to seeing you, Shinji Ikari,” in German, the trailer is full of memorable moments in its brief two minute and 35 second runtime, with classic lines delivered in ways audiences may have not heard them before. Fans of the series may be able to quickly discern which line is which, even hearing them spoken in a foreign language! The final line is spoken by Shinji’s original English voice actor, Spike Spencer, bidding farewell to ‘all Evangelions.” Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time has made over ¥10.22 billion ($92.7 million) at the Japanese box office since it was released on March 8, 2021, making it the highest-grossing film in the series. ©khara*Translations and video availability may vary by country. Information
Evangelion: 3.0 1.01 THRICE UPON A TIME
Now Available on Amazon Prime Video (released August 13, 2021)