Children of the Sea (film)
| Company type | Animated feature film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Film |
| Founded | June 7, 2019 in Japan |
| Founder | Ayumu Watanabe (director), Eiko Tanaka (producer), Daisuke Igarashi (manga author and screenplay) |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Ayumu Watanabe (director), Eiko Tanaka (producer), Daisuke Igarashi (screenplay), Joe Hisaishi (composer) |
| Products | Animated film |
| Owner | Studio 4°C |
| Parent | Studio 4°C |
| Website | children-of-the-sea |
is a Japanese animated feature from 2019, directed by Ayumu Watanabe and produced by Eiko Tanaka, with animation handled by Studio 4°C. It is an adaptation of the manga bearing the same name by Daisuke Igarashi, who also crafted the screenplay. This project represents Watanabe's first theatrical release since Space Brothers #0 (2014) and stands as the initial animated film based on an Igarashi manga. The voice cast includes Mana Ashida, Hiiro Ishibashi, and Seishū Uragami. Set against an oceanic backdrop, the narrative delves into themes surrounding the mysteries of existence and humanity's relationship with nature. The film premiered in Japan on June 7, 2019, and achieved a global box office revenue near US$5.09 million.
Plot
Junior high student Ruka, after experiencing conflicts with her mother and peers in her school club, spends her summer break at the aquarium where her father is employed. There, she encounters two enigmatic brothers named Umi ("sea") and Sora ("sky"), who were reportedly "raised by dugongs" and are subjects of research due to their aquatic traits. Together, they become entwined in supernatural phenomena affecting marine creatures worldwide, including a comet crashing into the ocean and unusual gatherings of sea life in Japan.
Voice cast
- Mana Ashida (Japanese) and Anjali Gauld (English) as Ruka Azumi.
- Hiiro Ishibashi (Japanese) and Lynden Prosser (English) as Umi.
- Seishū Uragami (Japanese) and Benjamin Niewood (English) as Sora.
- Win Morisaki (Japanese) and Beau Bridgland (English) as Anglade, a marine biologist studying Umi and Sora.
- Goro Inagaki (Japanese) and Marc Thompson (English) as Masaaki Azumi, Ruka's father working at the aquarium.
- Yu Aoi (Japanese) and Karen Strassman (English) as Kanako Azumi, Ruka's distant mother.
- Tohru Watanabe (Japanese) and Wally Wingert (English) as Sensei, coach of Ruka’s handball team.
- Min Tanaka (Japanese) and Michael Sorich (English) as Jim, a marine biologist responsible for Umi and Sora.
- Sumiko Fuji (Japanese) and Denise Lee (English) as Dede, a guardian figure overseeing Umi and Sora.
- Marina Otani and Miyuna Kadowaki from STU48 appear briefly as members of the handball club (cameo; Japanese).
Production
On June 16, 2018, Studio 4°C announced plans to develop an animated feature film based on Daisuke Igarashi's manga Children of the Sea. The primary voice actors and production crew were disclosed on February 27, 2019, with Joe Hisaishi confirmed to compose the score. Further key cast announcements followed on March 13, 2019.
Marketing
The initial trailer was released on April 8, 2019, featuring scenes from the film alongside Mana Ashida’s portrayal of protagonist Ruka Azumi. A second promotional trailer was unveiled on May 9, 2019.
On April 17, 2019, a special discussion occurred at the National Museum of Nature and Science during the Mammals 2 – Struggle for Life exhibition. Creator Daisuke Igarashi and director Ayumu Watanabe engaged in conversation with a museum researcher about environmental challenges facing wild mammals. The exhibition also displayed original storyboards and unused artwork from the movie.
Release
The film had its initial public screening on May 19, 2019, at Iino Hall in Tokyo, Japan, followed by an early preview on May 30 at Toho Cinemas Kinshicho Rakutenchi, both events featuring appearances from the cast and crew. It then received a nationwide release throughout Japan on June 7.
Internationally, the movie made its debut in France on June 10 during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where it competed in the Contrechamp section.
For English-language territories, Madman Entertainment secured licensing for Australia and New Zealand, premiering the film at the Sydney Film Festival on June 15. GKIDS acquired distribution rights for the United States and Canada. The UK premiere took place on October 13, 2019, at Scotland Loves Anime, with Anime Limited handling subsequent distribution.
Following an awards-qualifying limited run in 2019, the film’s planned theatrical release in the U.S. for April 2020 was postponed due to COVID-19 related cinema closures. A later August release was ultimately canceled. The film became available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on September 1, 2020.
Theme song
On April 24, 2019, it was revealed that Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu would compose the theme song for the film. The track, titled , was both written and produced by Yonezu and officially released as a single on June 3, 2019. To support this launch, a lottery granted 100 winners tickets to attend the music video premiere held on May 27, 2019, at Enoshima Aquarium; the video was subsequently published online on May 28.
Score
The original soundtrack was composed by Joe Hisaishi, a frequent collaborator with Studio Ghibli. Hisaishi described working on this project as challenging due to its minimalist approach, aiming to capture memories of the cosmos and the vibrancy of life. Along with Ni no Kuni, which came out two months later, this marked Hisaishi’s first animated feature film scores since The Tale of the Princess Kaguya in 2013 and represented his first animated score outside Studio Ghibli since Venus Wars in 1989.
Reception
Children of the Sea earned a total of $2.89 million worldwide, with more than $2.2 million generated from the Japanese market.
On Rotten Tomatoes, it received positive reviews from of critics, averaging a score of . The critical consensus praised its "visually stunning" presentation but found its narrative less compelling. Metacritic assigned a score of 74 out of 100 based on eight reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.
Reviews from Anime News Network were mixed: Kim Morrissy gave it a C+, commending its visuals but describing the plot as "obscure." Theron Martin rated it B−, noting "impressive visual sequences" but criticizing its length and lack of clear direction. Conversely, Steve Jones and Michelle Liu offered strong praise; Jones called it "a strong candidate for best-looking animated film," while Liu considered it "a masterpiece."
In Variety (magazine), Peter Debruge applauded the film’s "exceptional attention to detail," Joe Hisaishi’s "beautiful" musical score, and director Ayumu Watanabe’s "remarkable adaptation" that explores themes of protection versus exploitation.
Upon its U.S. Blu-ray release on September 1, 2020, it debuted at number 18 on The Numbers weekly sales chart with sales of 12,260 units totaling $183,777—ranking third among new releases that week. By December 2021, home video sales had reached $644,661.
Awards and Honors
| Year | Recognition | Category | Honoree | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Mainichi Film Awards | Best Animated Film | Children of the Sea | Template:Won |
| Japan Media Arts Festival Awards | Grand Prize, Animation Division | Template:Won | ||
| Buncheon International Animation Film Festival | Grand Prize, International Competition - Feature Film | Template:Won | ||
| Special Mention, Music Prize | Template:Won |
External links
- 2010s Japanese-language films
- 2019 anime films
- 2019 films
- Animated films set in Fujisawa, Kanagawa
- Animated films set underwater
- Anime films based on manga
- Films directed by Ayumu Watanabe
- Films scored by Joe Hisaishi
- Films set in aquariums
- Japanese animated fantasy films
- Madman Entertainment anime
- Studio 4°C
- Toho animated films