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Lu over the wall Anime Film's 140-Second Clip Streamed

Industry news website Natalie began streaming a 140-second clip from director Masaaki Yuasa's Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta (Lu over the wall or "Song of Lu who Informs the Dawn") anime film on Friday. The rest of the video is the same footage from a previous trailer.

Lu over the wall opened in Japan on May 19. The film will then screen at this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France in June.

Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta 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 star 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 directed the film at his Science SARU studio, and collaborated with Reiko Yoshida (Non Non Biyori, Tamako Market) on the script. Yōko Nemu (Gozen 3-ji no Muhōchitai) provided the original character designs, and Nobutake Ito (Kaiba, Ping Pong) adapted the designs for for animation and served as animation director. Hiroshi Ohno (Wolf Children, Strawberry Marshmallow) served as art director, Eriko Kimura (The Tatami Galaxy, Ponyo) served as sound director, and Batisto Perón served as director of photography. Abel Góngora (Garo the Animation) and Juan Manuel Laguna (Garo the Animation) handled Flash animation. Eunyoung Choi (animator on Kick-Heart and Ping Pong) served as producer. Takatsugu Muramatsu (When Marnie Was There) composed the music, and Kazuyoshi Saitō performed the theme song "Uta Utai no Ballad."