Interest
Lu Over the Wall Exhibition Shows Off Film's Development Art
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
Masaaki Yuasa's Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta (Lu over the wall) is inspiring collaborations through out Japan including a light show in Odaiba and an aquarium take-over in Yokohama. Also opening this month is an art exhibition in Tokyo will open with art pieces by the film's original character designer Yōko Nemu and Yuasa.
The pixiv Zingaro gallery in Nakano will host the exhibition from May 11 to May 23. It will host the original drawings by the duo that lead to the film's development, hand-painted image boards, and unique merchandise crafted from Nemu's designs. The gallery will sell 1/1-scale plushes of the film's mascot character "One Fish" that will not be available anywhere else. Visitors who spend at least 2,000 yen will get a postcard with artwork by Nemu.
Yuasa will take part in a signing event on May 13 at the gallery. The first 50 visitors who purchase advance movie tickets and spend at least 3,000 yen at the venue will receive a signing ticket.
Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta is slated to open in Japan on May 19. It is Yuasa's first anime film with an original story. The protagonist Kai moves with his father from Tokyo to the declining fishing town of Hinashi to live with his grandfather following his parents' divorce. Kai is unable to give words to his complex feelings about his parents, so he passes his middle school life gloomily. His one joy is uploading his musical compositions to the internet.
One day his classmates Kunio and Yūho invite him to join their band, and when he reluctantly accompanies them to practice on Mermaid Island, the three of them meet a mermaid named Lu. Through her cheerful singing and dancing, Kai is slowly able to open up about his feelings. However, calamity strikes and Kai must shout from the bottom of his heart in order to save the town.
Kanon Tani (your name.) and Shōta Shimoda are starring in the film as Lu and Kai, respectively. Shinichi Shinohara plays Lu's father and the comic duo Chidori play fishermen. Other cast members include Akira Emoto as a grandfather, Sōma Saitō as Kunio, and Minako Kotobuki as Yūho.
Yuasa is directing the film at his Science SARU studio, and is collaborating with Reiko Yoshida (Non Non Biyori, Tamako Market) on the script. Yōko Nemu (Gozen 3-ji no Muhōchitai) is providing the original character designs, and Nobutake Ito (Kaiba, Ping Pong) is adapting the designs for for animation and serving as animation director. Hiroshi Ohno (Wolf Children, Strawberry Marshmallow) is serving as art director, Eriko Kimura (The Tatami Galaxy, Ponyo) is serving as sound director, and Batisto Perón is serving as director of photography. Abel Góngora (Garo the Animation) and Juan Manuel Laguna (Garo the Animation) are handling Flash animation. Takatsugu Muramatsu (When Marnie Was There) is composing the music. Eunyoung Choi (animator on Kick-Heart and Ping Pong) is serving as producer.
Source: Comic Natalie
