Anime Expo 2018 Exclusive: Liz and the Blue Bird (Review)
By: MithrandielWhen Sound! Euphonium first aired in 2015, it was well-received throughout the anime community for its depiction of school relationships, and of course anyone who was ever in band saw a lot of familiar elements. Liz and the Blue Bird is the "sidequel" to Sound! Euphorium, focusing on the same school as they prepare for a regional competition. The central characters from Sound! Euphorium fade in and out quickly, so don't expect to see too much of them.Mizroe, the central protagonist, is a shy and soft-spoken girl who plays the oboe. She's extremely talented, but hardly speaks up and often avoids social interactions outside of the club. Her primary refuge is in her closest friend: Nozomi. Nozomi is an extroverted, bubbly member who plays the flute. We learn that she originally invited Mizroe to join the concert band, and she has a way of interacting with her to draw her out of her shell at least a little bit.The pair get the chance to work even closer together as the song they are performing at the regionals, a German piece inspired by the fairy tale "Liz and the Blue Bird", features a powerful duet that they have been assigned to. In the midst of this, Mizroe recognizes her feelings for Nozomi, though her soft-spoken nature makes it exceedingly difficult for her to tell Nozomi how she feels.Before the screening, director Naoko Yamada asked us all to pay very close attention to the subtlety of the plot, and boy he was not kidding. It's not even that the plot is slow-moving, just that the movements it makes are so small. Yamada makes you really focus in on the details of each interaction between Mizroe and Nozomi, as well as the other band members that interact with them as the film progresses. The result is enthralling. A sigh that says 1,000 words. Noticing the slight shift of someone's weight from one foot to the other. Recognizing nervous tics. The way Nozomi squeezes her wrist before saying something difficult or uncomfortable. You find yourself immersed in the story as you recognize the words that are being said, as well as the emotions that are being conveyed through subtler means.At the same time, Liz and the Blue Bird delightfully captures the not-so-subtle interactions between the girls of Kitauji high school. At one point when Mizroe is staring off into space after waving goodbye to Nozomi, another band member tries to get her attention. When it fails, she comes up behind her, lifts her hand into the air and says "Yay!" It's a minor interaction, but one that accurately summarizes the approach that Liz and the Blue Bird takes in fleshing out their characters.Concurrent to the main plot is the story of "Liz and the Blue Bird". In it, a young woman discovers a mysterious girl who claims she's come to her because she's lonely. The two foster a strong friendship, growing to love one another in time. However, Liz realizes that she's holding the bird back from flying free, and ultimately offers the bird a chance for freedom.This story of "Liz and the Blue Bird" is portrayed in a gorgeous watercolor design, conveying the look and feel of a stereotypical fairy tale village. Vibrant colors draw you in and succeed in transporting you to a distinctly different world.Being a story about a high school concert band, it's no surprise that there's a huge emphasis on the quality of the sound effects and music. To that end, Liz and the Blue Bird does a fantastic job. From the tuning of their instruments to the performance of the concert piece, the superb quality of the sound and music will give you a renewed appreciation for classical work that you likely haven't experienced since Your Lie in April.In short, Liz and the Blue Bird is a fantastic film. While its detailed and slow storytelling approach may turn some away, those who are fans of the Sound! Euphorium universe, or just solid coming of age stories in general, will throughly enjoy Liz and the Blue Bird.
