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Sound! Euphonium's Liz to Aoitori Film Reveals 2nd Video, Visual, Staff

The official website for Kyoto Animation's Liz to Aoitori (Liz und ein Blauer Vogel or Liz and the Bluebird), the first of two planned all-new anime films in the Sound! Euphonium franchise, revealed the second teaser video, a key visual, and more staff for the anime on Friday.

The film will premiere in Japan on April 21. Advance tickets for the film that include a deluxe clear file with the two key visuals will go on sale on January 6. Kyoto Animation and Shochiku will sell the tickets in advance at their booths at Comic Market 93 from December 29-31.

The film will tell a new story of third-year students Nozomi Kasaki and Mizore Yoroizuka.

Naoko Yamada (K-ON!, A Silent Voice) is directing the film off scripts by Reiko Yoshida (K-ON!, Yowamushi Pedal). Futoshi Nishiya (A Silent Voice, Free!), episode animation director for both television anime seasons, is returning to design the characters. Mutsuo Shinohara (A Silent Voice, Clannad) is returning as art director. kensuke ushio (A Silent Voice, Space Dandy) is composing the music.

Other staff members include:

• Color Design: Naomi Ishida
• Instrument Setting: Hiroyuki Takahashi
• Director of Photography: Kazuya Takao
• 3D Director: Tetsuo Umetsu
• Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka
• Music Production: Lantis
• Music Production Cooperation: Senzoku Gakuen College of Music
• Music Supervision: Masahiro Ōwada

The second film will tell the story of Kumiko Ōmae and others as second-year students. Tatsuya Ishihara (both seasons of Sound! Euphonium) is directing that film.

The second flashback film in the franchise, Gekijō-ban Hibike! Euphonium: Todoketai Melody, opened in Japan on September 30. Tatsuya Ishihara (both seasons of Sound! Euphonium) served as chief director, and Taichi Ogawa (unit director for Tamako Love Story, A Silent Voice) directed the film. The film looks back on the events of the second season of the anime series.

The story of Ayano Takeda's original 2013 novel and the first Sound! Euphonium television anime follows the Kitauji High School Concert Band, which used to always advance to national competitions. Ever since the adviser changed, it has not advanced past the Kansai tournament. However, thanks to the newly appointed adviser's strict instruction, the students are steadily improving. The band members' daily lives are full of ups and downs including fights over solos and the decision to resign extracurricular activities to focus on studies.

Takeda followed up the original novel with the Hibike! Euphonium 2 Kitauji Kōkō Suisōgaku-Bu no Ichiban Nagai Natsu (The Kitauji High School Concert Band's Longest Summer) novel in March 2015, then the Hibike! Euphonium 2 Kitauji Kōkō Suisōgaku-Bu, Saidai no Kiki (The Kitauji High School Concert Band's Worst Disaster) novel in April 2015, and then the Hibike! Euphonium 2 Kitauji Kōkō Suisōgaku-Bu no Himitsu no Hanashi (The Kitauji High School Concert Band's Secret Story) short story collection in June 2015. Takeda released the two-part novel spinoff Rikka Kōkō Marching Band e Yōkoso! (Welcome to the Rikka High School Marching Band) in August and September 2016, focusing on the character Azusa Sasaki and Rikka High School (based on the real-life nationally renowned Tachibana High School Marching Band).

Takeda is writing a two-part sequel novel to her Sound! Euphonium novels. Similar to the two new films for the franchise, the new story takes place during Kumiko's second year, and Mizore's third year in high school. The story features new first year characters. The first volume shipped in August, and the second volume shipped in October.

Yen Press released the first novel in the franchise in English on June 20.

The first 13-episode television anime series premiered in April 2015. The anime inspired the Gekijō-ban Hibike! Euphonium: Kitauji Kōkō Suisōgaku-Bu e Yōkoso "flashback" film in April 2016. The 13-episode Sound! Euphonium 2 sequel series premiered in October 2016.

Crunchyroll streamed both seasons of the anime, as well as the OVA that was bundled with the seventh Blu-ray Disc volume of the first anime series. Ponycan USA released the first season on home video.

Source: Comic Natalie