The Promotion That Leapt through Time
I wasn’t going to write about this, but I felt compelled to at least get the word out. It’s in (a couple) theaters!
Bandai Entertainment is distributing the film The Girl Who Leapt through Time in the US. This film has won some international and Japanese domestic awards, despite its relatively lackluster domestic run. Starting this week, it is having a limited run across the US (and probably Canada) beginning in LA and NYC.
At any rate, you can find screening info and a trailer at the official site by Bandai Entertainment.
This film is actually licensed in the US by Kadokawa. Production is done by Bandai Entertainment with the Ocean Group. Well, it isn’t like there’s a real difference from our perspective.
At the 6pm showing last night, I counted less than 30 heads in the theater. It’s the one ANN pimped through its last-minute-like ad with free poster giveaways. Granted, 6pm is a crap time for movie and it was clearly advertised as a dub (people don’t dig dubbed indie films), plus the film has already made its round in NYC earlier last year… hey ImaginAsian NYC please don’t do that again? Schedule it at a time that’s reasonable?
Or better yet, move the poster promotion to Saturday night instead?
Enough criticizing. I mainly wanted to say the dub is really good. I am mostly a sub-only guy but I’m pretty open-minded about dubs. I have a knack to check out dubs of shows I like. Coincidentally the NY Tokikake showing fits the profile so it was no deterrent personally. What is interesting about the dub is how Ocean employed a 15/16yo to do the voice for Makoto, which came off much like the 17/18yo that the Japanese dub used. Both actresses also had hands in live action acting before reprising their roles in Tokikake. Maybe you’ve seen Emily Hirst in a movie?
Chiaki and Kousuke, however, were less exciting for me; but Tokikake is all about Makoto, so if they can get her down right (and they did), then it is definitely a passing-grade dub.
Anyways–this film is probably better than most anime you have stocked up on your computer or coming in from the mail. Quit wasting your time with crappy TV shows and go watch something actually not half bad for a change. Don’t fret the dub or the fact you haven’t read Tsutsui’s original book, because odds are you’ll have a good time at the movies.
That Emily Hirst girl is like younger than my fucking brother D:
“Anyways–this film is probably better than the most anime you have stocked up on your computer or coming in from the mail. Quit wasting your time with crappy TV shows and go watch something actually not half bad for a change.”
You’re not wrong! There’s usually one or two (sometimes more, but only if we’re lucky) titles every year that make me think “Wow, this is why I became an anime fan in the first place.” Usually they’re the latest Shinkai or Kon movie but in this case it’s a rookie director who’s created something special. Pretty amazing really.
I believe Manga Entertainment are in charge of the UK release if memory serves - it’s up and coming (the box art has already been made public), although it’s too early to even preorder a copy. If it makes you feel any better, the screening at the Anime All-nighter in London last month received a very enthusiastic reception from the audience so I’m hoping it’s going to go down well with fans in the US and Europe. It certainly deserves to, in my view at least.
Hope it makes its way to one of the Philadelphia theaters. Definitely been one I’ve been waiting to see. All the anime I’ve seen in a theater has been on a weeknight, but the theaters have always been nearly empty, unfortunately.
This is why I shall go to some JP movie festival - to watch movies (including TokiKake) for free and have a smashing good time. Hopefully.
Best Anime movie. Period. I wish it was in theaters here, it’d be much better than the Death Note movie I saw -I still regret it. I only saw it for posting material-.
I was planning on watching this at the LA showing, but then a bout of laziness struck. That and gas prices, really. Besides, this isn’t something that I’d get more out of by watching it in a theater, not like, say.. 5cm.