Children of the Sea (Kaiju no Kodomo)
Ajyal Competition
Ayumu Watanabe / Feature Narrative / Japan / 2019 / 112 min / DCP
In Japanese
Interests: Animation
Gulf Premiere
Synopsis
On the first day of summer vacation, young Ruka is suspended from her school handball team after a tussle with a fellow student. Visiting her father who works at the local aquarium, she befriends two brothers Umi and Sora. The boys were raised in the ocean by a family of dugongs, which has given them an incredible ability to swim like fish and communicate with sea creatures. She forms a natural affinity with the brothers, and together they notice a strange call from the deep that's luring all types of marine life away from their natural habitats. A mystery in which the three children seem destined to play a crucial role.
Based on the Daisuke Igarashi manga of the same name, which originally appeared in “Monthly Ikki” between 2006 and 2011, the source material has been exquisitely adapted for the big screen. Director Ayumu Watanabe has crafted a film of exceptional beauty, depicting an enchanting seascape setting for this wonderful adventure of leviathan proportions. A veritable feast for the eyes and ears, 'Children of the Sea' is an experience on a profoundly deep level—one that washes over you like a huge exhilarating wave.
Credits
- Director
- Ayumu Watanabe
- Producer
- Eiko Tanaka
- Music
- Joe Hisaishi
- Production Company
- Beyond C. Co., Ltd., Studio4C
- Distributor
- Beyond C. Co., Ltd.
- Cast
- Mana Ashida, Hiiro Ishibashi, Goro Inagaki, Yu Aoi, Sumiko Fuji