Nippon Animation

Nippon Connection (June 01st – 06th) is running online for its 2021 edition. This year’s selection of animated films is small but contains some good titles. It’s difficult to programme an online festival because some film distributors/reps require theatrical distribution so a big hit like the Demon Slayer movie is unlikely. It has also been a slow year for mainstream Japanese animation compared to the 2016-2019 period. Check out the films released every weekend and you fill only find a handful of original titles that stand out amidst re-cuts and continuations of TV anime and re-releases of modern classics. It’s a small pool to choose from.

On the other hand, universities are producing highly talented animators and, as always, Nippon Connection have this covered. I’ve seen quite a few as part of my work on an animation festival so I can recommend these programmes. All are region-locked.

This post summarises all of the anime and animation that will be available to view. It’s the follow-up and last of the Nippon Connection highlight posts, following a look at Nippon Visions, Nippon Cinema, and Nippon Docs.

To find out more about the films, click on the titles.

Here are the films:

On-Gaku: Our Sound   

音楽　 「Ongaku」

Release Date: January 11th, 2020

Duration: 68 mins.

Director: Kenji Iwaisawa

Writer: Hiroyuki Ohashi (Screenplay), 

Starring: Kami Hiraiwa (Morita), Shintaro Sakamoto (Kenji), Ren Komai (Aya), Naoto Takenaka (Oba), Tateto Serizawa (Asakura), Tomoya Meno (Ota),

Animation Production: N/A

Website ANN MAL

This anime is based on the manga by Hiroyuki Ohashi. It has won praise where it has been screened and it won Best Feature Film at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.

Synopsis: One summer’s day, three outsider high school students who haven’t touched an instrument in their lives decide to form a band to express their teenage angst and impress girls. Does it matter that Kenji and his friends have never played an instrument before? Of course not – he’s got a guitar at home and his friends have a bass and drums in theirs so in the true spirit of punk, with blind confidence and absolutely minimal effort they start to make friends and influence people.

Seven Days War   

ぼくらの7日間戦争　 「Bokura no Nanokakan Sensou」

Release Date: December 13th, 2019

Duration: 88 mins.

Director: Yuuta Murano

Writer: Ichiro Okouchi (Script), Osamu Souda (Original Creator),

Starring: Kyoko Yoshine (Aya Chiyono), Takumi Kitamura (Mamoru Suzuhara), Haruka Michii (Saki Akutsu), Makoto Koichi (Malet), Megumi Han (Kaori Yamazaki),

Animation Production: Ajia-Do

Website ANN MAL

Synopsis: It is almost time for the summer holiday but the entire male student body of one class from a junior high school disappear early as they put into action a rebellion against adults. With the help of female students, they launch operations from their base in an abandoned factory in a protest against adults and their hypocrisy and corruption and their actions thrill society even as they cause chaos for the iniquitous status quo.

Sumikkogurashii: Good to Be in the Corner

映画　すみっコぐらし　とびだす絵本とひみつのコ　 「Sumikko Gurashi: Tobidasu Ehon to Himitsu no Ko」

Release Date: November 08th, 2019

Duration: 65 mins.

Director: Mankyuu

Writer: Takashi Sumita (Script/Series Composition), San-X (Original Creator)

Starring: Narrators – Yoshihiko Inohara, Manami Nanjo

Animation Production: Fanworks

Website ANN MAL

Synopsis: The slightly negative characters who like to hide away from sight are back as Shirokuma, a polar bear who is sensitive to cold, Penguin?, a penguin suffering an existential crisis. Tonkatsu, a piece of uneaten pork cutlet, Neko, a shy cat; and Tokage, the last dinosaur find themselves on the big screen.

Tokyo University Of The Arts: Animation Shorts