The acclaimed anime film On-Gaku: Our Sounddirected by Kenji Iwaisawa and based on the manga Hiroyuki Ohashireturns to Japanese cinemas with a special edition. This new version, titled “Brush-Up Version”includes more than 200 retouched scenes personally by Iwaisawa over six months of work.
The special screening will premiere on September 19 in the cinema Shinjuku Musashinokan in Tokyo, coinciding with the launch of the director's new film, 100 Meters (Hyakuemu). For the occasion, Iwaisawa also illustrated a commemorative poster.
From an independent manga to an international phenomenon
the original manga ON-GAKU was self-published by Ohashi in 2005, and later collected by Ohta Publishing in 2009. The story follows a group of young high school delinquents who, with no musical experience, decide to form a rock band to impress their friend Aya, take on a rival gang, and, above all, discover the power of rock and roll.
The film, animated almost entirely by Iwaisawa and with the participation of the musician Shintaro Sakamoto In the lead role, he offers a unique proposal: an irreverent and minimalist comedy with an unforgettable musical climax.
A journey full of prizes
Since its premiere, On-Gaku: Our Sound has received important recognitions. Among them stand out:
- Animation Grand Prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival (2019).
- Best Original Music Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (2020).
- Noburou Oofuji Award at the Mainichi Film Awards (2021).
- Grand Prize in the Entertainment division at the Japan Media Arts Festival Awards (2021).
In Japan, the film debuted in January 2020, reaching position #3 in the ranking of minitheaters during its first weekend. Furthermore, the project was made possible thanks to a successful campaign crowdfunding carried out in 2018, which exceeded its initial funding goal.
Legacy of a different anime
On-Gaku: Our Sound has established itself as a work of worship which demonstrates how the spirit of rock can transform even the most unexpected characters. With this new improved versionfans will have the opportunity to rediscover the strength of their sound on the big screen.
