NCMA Loves Anime: Musical Performance and Liz and the Blue Bird

Liz and the Blue Bird (2018). Directed by Naoko Yamada, 1 hr. 30 min., anime/drama/fantasy/music, NR

Join us at 7 pm for a special musical performance, followed by a screening of Liz and the Blue Bird at 8 pm!

Students and best friends Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki prepare to play a complex musical duet, “Liz and the Blue Bird,” for oboe and flute. Though they became bandmates in middle school and have played beautifully together ever since, Mizore and Nozomi find that with graduation from high school looming and the duet proving difficult, their friendship begins to buckle under the pressure.

Interspersed with the story is the fantasy tale of Liz, drawn like a storybook, which contrasts with the crisp realism of the school. These two distinct styles weave with stirring music to tell a touching coming-of-age story.

Image: Courtesy of GKIDS