On-Gaku: Our Sound | Movie Review | 2021 Blu-ray Anime Film Reaction
Now if there’s anything that this movie made
me regret it was getting read of my recorder
instrument.
At some point in my life.
I could not resist the urge to want to jam
out to that thing after watching this movie.
Hey what’s up guys welcome to Dyligent Picks.
Today I want to talk about an anime film that
I have been anticipating for quite a while,
and that is On-Gaku: Our Sound.
Now this was a film that was released in Japan
in 2019, but it is finally come out in the
US as of this year 2021 And it was directed
by Kenji Iwaisawa and is based off the original
manga of the same name that was done by Hiroyuki
Ohashi who also helped write the screenplay
with Iwaisawa.
Believe it or not this film took seven years
to make beginning production in 2012, and
it is a labor of love from start to finish,
the word ongaku actually stands for music
in Japanese which definitely is the centerfold
of this entire film.
The film is about a high school student named
Kenji, played by Shintarô Sakamoto, and his
two friends Ôta and Asakura, played by Tomoya
Maeno, and Tateto Serizawa.
One day Kenji just decides
ahead and start a band.
So the three of them having never played an
instrument before in their lives, decided
why not, after being praised by their friend
is voiced by Ren Komoi, and then being encouraged
to join the music festival by a fellow student
named Morita voiced by Kami Hiraiwa, the three
decide why not.
At this point, they are all in and just gonna
go ahead and give it the best shot.
That is unless things might get in their way,
such as well, maybe, laziness, or just a friendly
little rivalry between a fellow high school
student, that being Ôba played by Naoto Takenaka,
and that’s about it for the plot you guys
this film is very light hearted and quick.
And just has this fun angle to it, that I
think a lot of people really enjoy if you’re
able to give it a chance.
Now I think the only thing that might be stopping
this film from getting a much more popular
response than it’s gotten so far is the animation
style, I don’t think it’s for everyone but
it certainly is very well done, general anime
fans might not recognize this as your typical
type of film that they might be interested
in, but then it even has more of a resemblance
to something you might see out of a Western
cartoon, Daria, Beavis and Butthead or even
Home Movies, one thing this film definitely
has going for it is how short it is, it is
only an hour and 11 minutes long, in some
ways that makes it a very quick and rewatchable
film, and other ways you might be asking yourself,
could there possibly be more I actually went
away at the end of this going like, Oh, that’s
it, we’re done.
Okay.
But I think in that way it’s meant to be a
pretty short film because it definitely plays
out as if something that it came straight
out of some comics which this definitely resembles
a classic comic strip style, it’s as if you
might have stretched like a half hour episode
of a show like the peanuts into a full length
film.
Now I went into this film with very high expectations
I guess and I think even though I left maybe
a little teeny bit disappointed i After watching
the extras and learning more about how this
film was made, I definitely grew a bit more
appreciation, and after sleeping on it I can
say that I really enjoyed what this film had
to offer.
This film has been nominated for several awards.
I know that it has been nominated for the
Best independent feature at the Annie awards,
and it was submitted for the Best Animated
Feature the Oscars, although it did not end
up getting into the top five nominations,
with that it has also won some awards, within
the last two years, but definitely the thing
that this film has going for it, which I pretty
much knew what to expect, and definitely delivered
on this and was the comedy.
This film is hilarious, it has this very fun
kind of unique deadpan style to it.
You know a lot of the humor is kind of drawn
out and just straight and to the point that
was consistent throughout the entire movie
and I think really holds it together, especially
for this being, that sort of a film if it
wasn’t funny.
It definitely wouldn’t have gotten as much
praise as it has, but it’s also very surprising
in a lot of ways, especially in regards to
the animation.
In some ways it can be very simplistic but
then there were many instances throughout
the film where it kind of explodes in different
ways, and definitely makes you go like, Oh
wow, look at what they were able to do there.
And I think what really makes that part of
the film work is the fact that it actually
was done in rotoscope, which is the art of
doing just motion picture filming and then
tracing over that animation, and even though
I knew about that going into the film.
This might be the first rotoscope animation
that I have seen.
And once I got to look at some of the documentary
and the special features going into this film,
seeing how they did it.
It definitely made me appreciate all the work
that went into this, I’d say this is definitely
a music lovers film, especially if you enjoy
rock, you look at the poster and there’s of
course, an ode to the Beatles with the Abbey
Road, you know, this is definitely made for
fans of music in general, definitely rock
and roll music I guess I should clarify.
Now one thing, some people may be disappointed
by is that this film is actually only available
in Japanese, but there is English subtitles
as well as I believe Spanish, as someone who
really enjoys watching hand drawn animation
in English.
That part wasn’t so much a disappointment
to me because I could still enjoy the subtitles,
just fine, but I definitely would have loved
the option to watch it in either or which
also gives the film even more rewatchability,
and I can definitely see this movie having
a great English dub, you know, fingers crossed
that maybe GKIDS, the licensor for this title
in the United States could possibly be willing
to do a dub at some point.
And speaking of GKIDS their blu ray is fantastic,
the audio, the video and all the extras, this
is definitely a pickup that you want to get
if you’re a fan of collecting anime or just,
you know great blu ray releases in general
it’s got pretty much everything you want,
and I will show it right here for those of
you for a second.
Yes, it definitely is one that I will be keeping
and I would like to watch again, with several
friends or a few people because I think it
just, it definitely warrants a watch with
more than one person especially being a comedy,
which always kind of elevates things a little
bit more.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to see this film
in theaters because of the pandemic, you know
last year and ongoing.
I hope that this film does garner sort of
a cult classic following at some point I can
definitely see it being that type of movie,
I think the only thing I really has going
against it is what demographic it’s really
for, because I think you have an anime film
that doesn’t really resemble your typical
anime film, and then you have people who maybe
aren’t into anime but like the animation style,
so you know, I think the only thing that’s
gonna have difficulty is finding the right
audience for it, but once it does, it certainly
could reach a cult status and I highly recommend
checking this film out.
It is really fun and a light watch to just
chill out and enjoy with that I would give
this film a four out of five.
It is not some thing that I love at this point
but I could see myself after more rewatches
possibly liking it even more.
And I hope to see it again someday and I really
hope some of you get a chance to check it
out.
And that’s why this film is a diligent pick.
So guys, What did you think of On-Gaku: Our
Sound.
Is this a film that I’ve now intrigued you
to check out.
I’d love to hear what other animated films
or other animation that might be a little
different weird or, you know, not quite, your
average type, please let me know down in the
comments, let’s talk about it.
As always, my name is Dylan, and if you love
Entertainment subscribe to my channel while
this video ends and send me a thumbs up before
you go.
Thanks for watching and stay diligent.
