Fireworks (2017 film)

Fireworks (打ち上げ花火、下から見るか? 横から見るか?, Uchiage Hanabi, Shita kara Miru ka? Yoko kara Miru ka?, lit. "Skyrockets, Watch from Below? Watch from the Side?", also known as Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?) is a 2017 Japanese animated romance film based on Shunji Iwai's live-action television film of the same name. It was directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, and stars Suzu Hirose, Masaki Suda, Mamoru Miyano and Takako Matsu. The film premiered on August 18, 2017. It received mixed reviews from critics who praised it for music and animation, but criticized the narrative and characterization. The film has grossed over $28 million worldwide, becoming the seventh highest-grossing anime film of 2017 and Shaft's highest-grossing film. It was released by Madman Entertainment on October 5, 2017,[2] and by Anime Limited on November 15, 2017.[3] It was also released by GKIDS on July 4, 2018.[4]

Fireworks
Japanese theatrical teaser poster
Directed byAkiyuki Shinbō (chief)
Nobuyuki Takeuchi
Seimei Kidokoro (assistant)
Produced byJūnosuke Itō
Akiko Yodo
Screenplay byHitoshi Ōne
Based onFireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?
by Shunji Iwai
Starring
Music bySatoru Kōsaki
CinematographyRei Egami
Takayuki Aizu
Edited byRie Matsubara
Production
company
Distributed byToho
Release date
  • August 18, 2017 (2017-08-18)
Running time
90 minutes[1]
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Box office$28 million

Plot

Norimichi Shimada and Nazuna Oikawa live in the town of Moshimo. Their friends make a bet regarding whether the fireworks look round or flat in the sky. Nazuna does not move out with her mother and her fiancé. She keeps a small glass marble from the sea. As Norimichi and Yusuke spend their pool cleaning duty, Nazuna challenges them on the swimming race, proposing the winner on a date. Yusuke wins and Nazuna asks him to go on a date. Struggling to leave home without family permission, Nazuna packs up the suitcase. While Yusuke bails on a date, Nazuna wishes for Norimichi to win the race. She gets caught by her mother and ends up returning home. Norimichi grabs and throws the marble, causing it to rewind time.

Back when the race occurred, Norimichi wins this time around and Nazuna asks him on a date. The two arrive at the train station, but they are caught once again by Nazuna's parents. Norimichi is aware he is in an alternate timeline and wishes for another chance to escape with Nazuna, while noticing the fireworks are flat. He throws the marble from a lighthouse and reverses time again to the encounter at the station, but he manages to elude the family by boarding the train together with her. They are caught again by the couple and their friends. When Yusuke pushes the two off from the balcony, Norimichi uses the marble once again, wishing for no one to see him and Nazuna. Time jumps back again and the train takes a different route, leaving the two in a strange reality with the town encapsulated in a glass dome. After the pyrotechnician uses the marble as a leftover firework charge, it shoots up and explodes in the sky. As Norimichi and Nazuna see their future within one of each shards, they swim in the sea and wonder in what kind of world they meet next. The next day, the school notices about the absence of Norimichi and Nazuna.

Voice cast
Character
Japanese[5][6] English[7]
Nazuna Oikawa (及川 なずな, Oikawa Nazuna) Suzu Hirose Brooklyn Nelson
A female student whose late father disappeared after the divorce. Though she does not have friends, she falls in love with Norimichi.
Norimichi Shimada (島田 典道, Shimada Norimichi) Masaki Suda Ryan Shanahan
A male student who learns that fireworks are flat in the sky.
Yusuke Azumi (安曇 祐介, Azumi Yusuke) Mamoru Miyano Aaron Dalla Villa
One of Norimichi's friends. He believes that Nazuna is in love with him or Norimichi.
Nazuna's mother Takako Matsu Julie Ann Taylor
An unnamed family woman whom the latter is upset with. She plans to marry her fiance and leave town.

Production

On December 7, 2016, the film was announced with a theatrical release date of August 18, 2017. Hitoshi Ōne wrote the script and added modern elements for the film.[8] The cast and crew were also announced.[5] On April 14, 2017, a second teaser trailer for the film was released.[9] A 30-second trailer, the third promotional video for the film, was released in June 2017, and a new poster was revealed.[10]

Music

The film's theme song, Uchiage Hanabi, is performed by Daoko and Kenshi Yonezu.[10] The music video for the song has garnered over 350 million views on YouTube.[11]

Release

The film premiered in Japan on August 18, 2017,[5] and in the United Kingdom on October 15, 2017.[12] In July 2017, it was distributed in 110 countries and regions.[13] Edko Films Ltd released the film in Hong Kong on October 31, 2017.[14] Madman Entertainment released the film on October 5, 2017.[15][16] It was released for preview on 15 November 2017 in the United Kingdom.[17] Madness Entertainment released the film in Mexico on February 16, 2018.[18] GKIDS premiered the film in the United States on July 3, 2018, with the wide release on July 4, 2018.[19] To promote the release, GKIDS released the film's trailer and images on May 23, 2018.[20]

Reception

Box office

On the opening day, the film grossed ¥170 million from 133,000 admissions,[21] ¥295 million from 220,000 admissions in two days[22] and grossed a total of ¥460 million (US$4.2 million) within three days of the premiere across 296 theaters, ranking at No. 3.[23][24] The film placed at No. 4 on its second weekend.[25] It stayed at No. 4 on the third weekend, where it grossed ¥104 million from 78,000 admissions, and earned a total of ¥1.1 billion.[26] By the end of 2017, the film had grossed ¥1.59 billion ($14,311,431) in Japan.[27] The film grossed $26 million worldwide on 3 December 2017, including $10.7 million in China, Singapore, Malaysia and United Kingdom, and $15.3 million in other territories including Japan.[28] The film grossed $11,943,229 in China, $525,280 in the United States and Canada, $46,664 in Thailand and Bolivia,[29] $191,137 in South Korea, and $91,155 in Spain and the United Kingdom,[30] for a global total of $28,097,465.

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 43% based on 30 reviews, with an average rating of 4.94/10. The site's critical consensus states "Fireworks seeks sparks in an ambitious blend of storytelling genres, but this misguided anime effort never truly takes flight".[31] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, the film has a score 40 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[32] The film received praise before its theatrical release from several Japanese critics and journalists. Musician Koremasa Uno lauded the voice acting and said the film "doesn't feel like a work from Iwai or Hitoshi Ōne, the scriptwriter. Rather, it feels more like the anime of the studio creating it, Shaft, and its producer, Genki Kawamura."[33] Film writer Tatsuya Masutō wrote on his Twitter account that the "expectations surrounding the film did not disappoint, and the anime could be better than the original live-action drama." He also noted that the anime is "more than just a remake" and the "90-minute run time compared to the 50-minute original helps add to the content".[33]

Kim Morrissy of Anime News Network gave the film an "B" grade and applauded the "great music and voice acting" and the "simple yet emotionally compelling plot" but criticized the film's production values and visuals that "don't really add anything to the film except to broadcast that it was made by SHAFT".[34] Mark Schilling of The Japan Times gave the film a rating of 3½ out of 5 stars and praised the film's "pure-hearted love story". Mark concluded the review by writing, "Fireworks nails it again and again—or maybe that was just me, slipping back into long-ago dreams of the perfect girl gazing into my soul, forever out of reach."[35]

Accolades
Year Name of Competition Category Result Ref.
2017 41st Japan Academy Film Prize Animation of the Year Nominated [36]
2019 Crunchyroll Anime Awards Best Film Nominated

References
  1. "Fireworks, Should We See It From the Side or the Bottom?". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on August 19, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  2. Madman (September 27, 2017). "Fireworks – Official Trailer #2". YouTube. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  3. "Fireworks". Fireworks official website. Anime Limited. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2018. In cinemas from 15th November
  4. "Fireworks: Get Tickets". GKIDS Films. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  5. Ressler, Karen (December 7, 2016). "Shunji Iwai's 'Fireworks' Drama Gets Anime Film From SHAFT". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  6. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 12, 2017). "Shaft, Shunji Iwai's Fireworks Anime Film Reveals 5 More Cast Members". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  7. GKIDS Films [@GKIDSfilms] (2018-06-13). "Excited to see FIREWORKS on the big screen? Check out the English Dub cast now! FIREWORKS comes into theaters in both sub and dub July 3, 5 & 7. Tickets: bit.ly/2x6167a #FireworksMovie" (Tweet). Retrieved 2018-11-03 – via Twitter.
  8. eiga.com News (December 8, 2012). "岩井俊二の傑作「打ち上げ花火、下から見るか？横から見るか？」、大根仁×新房昭之でアニメ映画化！". eiga.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  9. Komatsu, Mikikazu (April 14, 2017). "Shaft's "Uchiage Hanabi/Fireworks" Film 2nd Trailer Introduces Anime Version Characters". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  10. Ressler, Karen (June 27, 2017). "Shaft, Shunji Iwai's 'Fireworks' Anime Film's Promo Previews Theme Song by Kenshi Yonezu, Daoko". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  11. DAOKO (October 26, 2017). "DAOKO × 米津玄師『打上花火』MUSIC VIDEO" [DAOKO x Kenshi Yonezu "Uchiage Hanabi" Music Video]. daoko_jp. YouTube. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  12. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (May 26, 2017). "New Film Releases Scheduled in British Cinemas". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  13. Sherman, Jennifer (July 11, 2017). "Shaft, Shunji Iwai's 'Fireworks' Anime Film Reveals 3rd Trailer, Release in 110 Countries". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 15, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  14. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (July 28, 2017). "English-Subtitled Trailer for Shaft, Shunji Iwai's 'Fireworks' Film Streamed". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 1, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  15. Bortignon, Tegan (August 20, 2017). "Special Madman Announcements At SMASH 2017". Madman Entertainment. Archived from the original on August 20, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  16. Madman Entertainment [@Madman] (September 7, 2017). "Fireworks, a new romantic fantasy from Studio Shaft, is coming to cinemas across Australia and New Zealand Oct 5th! fireworksfilm.com.au" (Tweet). Retrieved April 17, 2018 – via Twitter.
  17. Normanicgrav (October 18, 2017). "Anime Limited Brings 'Fireworks' to the UK Theatrical Screens this November". Anime UK News. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  18. Berruecos, Pablo (January 25, 2018). "Luces en el Cielo, un intercambio cultural México-Japón: Elliot Gama". ONE Digital. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  19. Ressler, Karen (March 16, 2018). "GKIDS Licenses Fireworks Anime Film, Sets Summer Theatrical Release". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  20. Carson, Rene (23 May 2018). "New photos and trailer for anime fantasy Fireworks". Film Fetish. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  21. Sherman, Jennifer (August 19, 2017). "Shunji Iwai's 'Fireworks' Anime Film Earns 170 Million Yen in 1 Day". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  22. Komatsu, Mikikazu (August 22, 2017). "Japan Box Office: "Uchiage Hanabi/Fireworks" Delivers 295 Million Debut, Ranking 3rd". Crunchyroll. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  23. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (August 21, 2017). "Shunji Iwai's 'Fireworks' Anime Film Debuts at #3 at Japanese Box Office". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  24. Schilling, Mark (August 22, 2017). "Japan Box Office: 'High & Low the Movie 2' Opens on Top". Variety. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  25. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (August 28, 2017). "'Fireworks' Anime Film Ranks at #4 in 2nd Weekend at Japanese Box Office". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  26. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 9, 2017). "'Fireworks' Anime Film Stays at #4 in 3rd Weekend at Japanese Box Office". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  27. "2017". Eiren. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  28. McNary, Dave (December 3, 2017). "Box Office: Coco Surges in China With $44 Million in Second Weekend". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  29. "Fireworks (2018) - International Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  30. "Uchiage Hanabi, Shita Kara Miru ka? Yoko Kara Miru ka? (2017) - International". The Numbers. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  31. "Fireworks (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  32. "Fireworks (2018)". Metacritic. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  33. Sherman, Jennifer (August 14, 2017). "Early Reviews Praise Shunji Iwai's 'Fireworks' Anime Film". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  34. Morrissy, Kim (August 23, 2017). "Fireworks, Should We See it from the Side or the Bottom?". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 28, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  35. Schilling, Mark (August 23, 2017). "'Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?': Will Japan fall in love with another pair of animated teens?". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on August 23, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  36. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 15, 2018). "Fireworks, Napping Princess, More Nominated for 41st Japan Academy Prize". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
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