``A Whisker Away'' A true ``life-size'' animation drawn with a child's heart

“A Whisker Away” synopsis

Miyo Sasaki is a second year middle school girl who is always bright and cheerful. He surprises those around him with his words and actions that don't read the atmosphere, and his classmates nickname him ``Muge (Infinite Mystery Man)''. However, in reality, he was careful about those around him and spent his days suppressing his emotions, contrary to his ``infinitely mysterious person''. Muge continues to boldly attack his classmate Kento Hinode, whom he has a passionate crush on, every day, but he is completely ignored. She never gives up and continues to appeal to others, but she has a secret that she cannot tell anyone...

Index

• Changed to Netflix distribution due to the coronavirus pandemic
• Hidden in the innocent protagonist is a desire to escape from “pain”
• A kind world unified from the “perspective” of junior high school students
• A story for sensitive junior high school students that will reach them.

Changed to Netflix distribution due to the coronavirus pandemic

If you wear a cat, you will be loved. As long as you smile, you can get through it.

But the truth is, I wanted to stay true to myself forever.

A fairy tale of good intentions that guides men and women who are afraid of being honest.

``A Whisker Away'' (20) is a work that has had a strange fate. An animated film that was originally supposed to be released in theaters. However, due to the effects of the new coronavirus, movie theaters across the country had to close, and instead of postponing the release, the film was distributed on Netflix.

This trend can be said to be the forerunner of ``distribution rather than theaters,'' which will become popular in the movie industry in the future. This work attracted attention not only for its impressive lineup of staff and cast, but also for its quick response at the time.

“A Whisker Away” preview

The project was planned by the up-and-coming production company known for works such as `` The Night Is Short, Walk on , Maiden'' (17), ``Lou's Song to Tell the Dawn '' (17), and `` Golden Kamuy '' (18~). twin engine. Koji Yamamoto, who was the first editor-in-chief of Fuji Television's popular anime program ``Noitamina'' and worked on `` Eden of the East '' and `` Psycho-Pass, '' started the company in 2014.

Produced by Studio Colorido, which created the colorful and fantastical worldview of ` `Penguin Highway '' (18). A double directorial system was set up, with Junichi Sato, a heavyweight who worked as series director of the Sailor Moon series, and Tomotaka Shibayama, who will be making his debut as a feature-length director, writing the screenplay for `` The Name of the Flower I Saw That Day.'' I don't know yet. '' (11-13) and `` The One Who Knows the Blueness of the Sky '' (19), created by Mari Okada.

Actress Mirai Shida and Natsuki Hanae, the lead voice actor for `` Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba ,'' co-star in the film, and the theme song and insert song are performed by the musical group `` Yorushika ,'' which is extremely popular among young people. It can be said that he is a solid member.

Muge is a second year middle school student who loves his classmate Hinode. One day, she receives a mask from a ``mask shop'' in the form of a cat that allows her to transform into a cat when she wears it, and goes to visit Hinode in the form of a cat. Hinode usually has a cold attitude toward Muge, but when she transforms into a cat, he calls her "Taro" and dotes on her. Although Muge has mixed feelings about the difference in attitude, he begins to enjoy his cat form, but little by little the line between cats and humans becomes blurred...

“A Whisker Away” (c) 2020 “A Whisker Away” Production Committee

This work is a kind of ``Cinderella''-like story about ``capturing a prince in a disguised form,'' but it also contains the essence of ancient Japanese ghost stories in which the price of change is paid. The production uses cats as a symbol of the supernatural, and the production in which the cat world and the human world are connected by a bridge, reminiscent of ``Yomi no Kuni'' or the world of Noh where the equinox and this shore are connected. let For Japanese people, it can be said that the design has a somewhat nostalgic and familiar feel to it. The action of ``putting on a mask and turning around'' as a switch to switch between cat/human is also very Japanese.

There are elements of a love story involved, but humans and cats speak different languages, so they have trouble communicating. The heart of the drama of this work is the sadness and frustration of not being able to get the person you love to say ``I love you'' just the way you are, but there are two striking features of this work.

Hidden in the innocent protagonist is a desire to escape from “pain”