Available September 1, 2020 on Digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD
Welcome back to GKIDS Unboxed! This time, we’ll be taking a look at Children of the Sea, the breathtaking adventure from Japan’s cutting-edge STUDIO4°C (Tekkonkinkreet, MFKZ, Mind Game) and director Ayumu Watanabe. Along with the film’s breathtaking animation, Children of the Sea features an astonishing score by Joe Hisaishi, known for his legendary work on Studio Ghibli classics like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke, as well as a wild theme song by Kenshi Yonezu, artist behind the popular J-Pop single “Lemon.”
Children of the Sea is a philosophical and mind-bending trip that explores the mysteries of the ocean, and its connection to the human spirit. Based on the acclaimed manga of the same name from Daisuke Igarashi, the film centers around Ruka, who has always felt a strange connection with the underwater world.
When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad worked, and has since been drawn toward the aquarium. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora, who were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does. As the kids get caught up in the mystery behind the sudden worldwide disappearance of the ocean’s fish, they uncover cosmic connections that will change them forever.
See how the stunning animation was put together piece by piece by scrolling through character models, background art, and animatics. Hear directly from the creative team on their thought process behind adapting Igarashi’s manga to moving image with bonus interviews and making-of footage. You can even step behind the scenes with the STUDIO4°C crew as they put their culinary skills to the test when recreating food from Children of the Sea.
Take a closer listen to the score, and learn about Joe Hisaishi’s unique approach to creating this astonishing orchestration through interviews and production footage with Hisaishi himself.
Exclusive to the Blu-ray™ is “Turep – Looking for Children of the Sea”, a feature-length pseudo-documentary from the creators of Children of the Sea that explores the legends that inspired the film and engages with its larger themes. Framed as a search for a lost brother with an affinity for the sea, this journey takes a young woman through old videotapes, conversations with marine and anthropological experts, and eventually, a small island nation far from Japan.
Still curious about Children of the Sea? For an even closer look, check out our full unboxing below!
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Children of the Sea is available September 1, 2020 on Digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD.
Bonus Features*
– Intro at Animation is Film
– Directing Children of the Sea
– Animation Breakdown
– Interview with Composer Joe Hisaishi
– Japanese Cast Interviews
– Art Gallery
– Selected Storyboards
– Turep – Looking for Children of the Sea**
– STUDIO 4°C Makes a Meal
– Making of the Poster
– Trailers
*Available on Blu-ray™ and select digital platforms
** Exclusive to Blu-ray
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