2019年公開
海獣の子供
STUDIO4℃
ファンタジーミステリー
2019年6月7日公開（劇場アニメ／上映時間111分）
Children of the Sea is a theatrical anime produced by STUDIO4°C based on Daisuke Igarashi's manga, released nationwide on June 7, 2019, directed by Ayumu Watanabe with music by Joe Hisaishi and theme song "Kaijuu no Yuurei" written by Kenshi Yonezu. Ruka Azumi, a middle schooler who struggles to fit in, meets a boy named Umi who swims with fish in the giant tank of the aquarium where her father works, along with Umi's older brother Sora. The two are mysterious siblings who say they were raised by a dugong, and as Ruka spends time with them, she slowly begins to open her heart. As the three grow closer, bioluminescent creatures begin gathering across the world's oceans, and strange, planet-scale phenomena start occurring one after another. One summer night, a giant whale shark vanishes from the aquarium, and something is about to begin. The film depicts the origin of life and the mysteries of the cosmos through breathtaking, sweeping visuals.
📝 Highlights
👥 Characters
💫 Foreshadowing & Quotes
❓ FAQ
🌟 Featured Comments
📝 Highlights & Appeal Light spoilers
01① Meeting Umi, the mysterious boy who swims with fish
Middle schooler Ruka, who struggles to fit in, meets Umi, a boy who swims among the fish in the aquarium's giant tank.
02② Umi and Sora, siblings raised by a dugong
Umi and his older brother Sora are mysterious, otherworldly siblings who say they were raised by a dugong as children.
03③ Strange phenomena spread worldwide as the three grow closer
As Ruka, Umi, and Sora grow closer, bioluminescent creatures begin gathering across the world's seas, and strange events multiply.
04④ The night a giant whale shark vanishes from the aquarium
One summer night, a giant whale shark suddenly vanishes from the aquarium, and the story shifts into motion.
05⑤ The "festival" that all sea life is converging toward
Sea creatures glowing with light gather from every corner of the planet, moving toward a great event referred to as "the main event."
06⑥ Overwhelming visual beauty from STUDIO4°C
STUDIO4°C, known for works like Tekkonkinkreet, colors the story with overwhelming visuals that fuse the ocean and the cosmos.
07⑦ Theme song "Kaijuu no Yuurei" written by Kenshi Yonezu
Kenshi Yonezu's theme song "Kaijuu no Yuurei," written specifically for the film, quietly wraps up the story's meditation on life and the cosmos.
08⑧ Highly acclaimed at film festivals and awards in Japan and abroad
The film won the Mainichi Film Award for Animation and the Japan Media Arts Festival Animation Grand Prize, and was screened at overseas festivals including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
💡 Key Points & Predictions Some spoilers
The story's core is how Ruka, through her encounters with Umi and Sora, comes to terms with her own struggle to fit in. How the strange phenomena occurring worldwide connect to the event referred to as "the main event" is also a major point of interest.
🧾 Story So Far Contains spoilers
After meeting Umi and Sora at the aquarium, Ruka grows closer to the two brothers who say they were raised by a dugong. Bioluminescent creatures begin gathering across the world's seas, and when a giant whale shark vanishes from the aquarium one summer night, the story expands into a grand-scale meditation on the cosmos and the origin of life.
✅ Recommended Viewing Points
An ambitious STUDIO4°C work depicting both the grand scale of the sea and cosmos and a girl's emotional growth. A film to savor slowly for its visual beauty and Kenshi Yonezu's theme song alike.
👀 Trivia & Fun Facts
The original manga by Daisuke Igarashi was serialized in Shogakukan's IKKI magazine and collected into five volumes. The film took a very long production period and is known as a work into which STUDIO4°C poured its full resources. It won the Mainichi Film Award for Animation and the Japan Media Arts Festival Animation Grand Prize, and was also screened in the Contrechamp section of the 2019 Annecy International Animation Film Festival and the Noves Visions section of the Sitges Catalonia International Film Festival, earning high acclaim internationally.
Ruka Azumi (CV: Mana Ashida)
The film's protagonist, a middle schooler who struggles to fit in with those around her, and who slowly opens her heart through her encounters with Umi and Sora.
Umi (CV: Hiiro Ishibashi)
A mysterious boy who says he was raised by a dugong. He swims with the fish in the aquarium's giant tank and grows close to Ruka.
Sora (CV: Seishu Uragami)
Umi's older brother, who also says he was raised by a dugong, and carries an even more otherworldly, transcendent air than his younger brother.
Anglade (CV: Win Morisaki)
A young man connected to the aquarium who watches over Umi and Sora, and who is deeply involved in the secret of the two brothers.
Masaaki Azumi (CV: Goro Inagaki)
Ruka's father, who works as an aquarium keeper and is the reason his daughter comes to meet Umi and Sora.
Kanako Azumi (CV: Yu Aoi)
Ruka's mother, who watches over her daughter's shifting emotions while supporting her as family.
The Coach (CV: Toru Watanabe)
The coach of the handball club Ruka once belonged to, connected to part of the reason she struggles to fit in early in the story.
Jim Cusack (CV: Min Tanaka)
An old man deeply connected to the mystery of Umi, Sora, and the sea creatures, standing close to the story's core.
Dede (CV: Sumiko Fuji)
An old woman who watches over the events surrounding Umi and Sora, lending the story a mythic depth.
💫 Unresolved Foreshadowing Contains spoilers
- The true nature of Umi and Sora, and whether they were really raised by a dugong, is gradually revealed as the story progresses.
- The connection between the strange phenomena occurring across the world's seas and the whale shark's disappearance comes together toward the film's end.
- The secrets that Anglade and Jim Cusack hold about Umi and Sora are also revealed at the story's climax.
💌 Predicted Viral Quotes for Next Season
"We've been here since the moment this planet was born." — Umi's striking words about the true nature of the brothers.
"Everyone came from the universe." — A line symbolizing the story's theme of the origin of life.
"The festival is beginning." — A line marking the story's climax, heralding the great gathering of sea creatures from across the world.
What kind of anime is “Children of the Sea”?
Children of the Sea is a theatrical anime produced by STUDIO4°C based on Daisuke Igarashi's manga, released nationwide on June 7, 2019, directed by Ayumu Watanabe with music by Joe Hisaishi and theme…
What are the theme songs (OP/ED) of “Children of the Sea”?
You can find the theme songs of “Children of the Sea” ranked by view count in the anime song ranking on the homepage. Each song’s page also shows a chart of its view-count history.
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