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Aniplex Reveals Hula Fulla Dance Original Anime for Summer 2021

Aniplex announced on Thursday that it is producing an original anime film titled Hula Fulla Dance that will open in Japan in early summer 2021. The anime, which is set in Fukushima prefecture, joins Bakuten!! and Misaki no Mayoiga as part of a larger initiative to promote Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate, respectively. The "Zutto Ōen Project 2011 + 10..." is in remembrance of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami 10 years ago.

The film's story centers on Hiwa Natsunagi (played by Haruka Fukuhara), a novice at hula dancing who nevertheless takes a job as a hula dancer at the real life Spa Resort Hawaiians hotel. The film shows the relationships between her and her colleagues. The same hotel in Iwaki city, Fukushima was also the setting for the popular 2006 film Hula Girls, and Iwaki is also the setting for Gaina's Hulaing Babies anime, also centered on hula dancing.

Shinya Watada (Aikatsu Stars!, Gundam Build Divers, Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE) is directing the film at Bandai Namco Pictures, with Seiji Mizushima (Fullmetal Alchemist, Gundam 00) as supervising director. Reiko Yoshida (K-ON!, Violet Evergarden, Liz and the Blue Bird) is penning the script. Aikatsu! anime character designer Hiroko Yaguchi is designing the film's characters. Michiru Oshima (Fullmetal Alchemist, Snow White with the Red Hair, Bloom Into You) is composing the music. Kaori Hino is the art director, while Masumi Ootsuka is the color designer. Youichi Oogami is the director of photography, and Kumiko Sakamoto is in charge of editing. Eriko Kimura is the audio director.

Sources: Hulla Fulla Dance's website, Comic Natalie