The coming-of-age manga "Blue Thermal," which takes to the skies, is being made into a movie! A special news report and comments from Mayu Hotta, Nobunaga Shimazaki, and Junya Enoki have also arrived!

An animated film adaptation of the manga "Blue Thermal - Aonagi University Athletic Association Aviation Club" has been decided. A special news video, cast and crew, and illustrations from the original author, Kana Ozawa, have been released.

Blue Thermal" by Kana Ozawa began serialization in "Monthly Comic @ Bunch" (Shinchosha) in April 2015.
The story is based on the fresh theme of the Aonagi University Aeronautics Club, a club that competes for flight speed with gliders, which are aircraft that fly by catching thermal updrafts without an engine. The story has attracted attention as a new coming-of-age manga for its delicate depiction of the sky and psychological portrayal of the characters, who put everything they have into their adolescence on the line.

The main character of the story, Tsuru Tamaki (a.k.a. Tsurutama), is a girl who has devoted herself to sports up until high school. She says goodbye to that lifestyle and enrolls in college with the determination to "fall in love and live the sparkling campus life I've always longed for! She had a fateful encounter with a glider and fell in love at first sight with the beauty of the sky she saw during a trial flight. He joined the aviation club of the sports club and was fascinated by the beauty of the sky and the joy of flying.

The inspiring story of Tsurutama and his friends in the university aviation club is depicted with overwhelming realism in this much-talked-about coming-of-age manga, which is finally being made into an animated film.

The director is "Ghost in the Shell: S.H.I.E.L.D.".

Directed by Masaki Tachibana of "Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C." and other works! Produced by Telecom Animation Film, which has produced "Lupin the Third" and other works.

At the helm of this film is director Masanori Tachibana, who is known for his high quality images and delicate characterizations, having directed the "Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C." series (2002) and "Tokyo Magnitude 8.0" (2009) and "Barakamon" (2014). Director Tachibana has earned the trust and respect of creators for his diverse work, and the images of characters flying through the air, brought to life by Tachibana, are sure to be exciting.

Director Tachibana will be working with Telecom Animation Film, a long-established animation studio established in 1975, whose best-known work is "Lupin III: Cagliostro's Castle" (1979). The company has produced a wide range of hit works, including the globally successful TV animation "Tower of God" (2020), the TV animation "Lupin III" series (2015), "orange" (2016), and the movie "LUPIN THE IIIRD: MINE FUNAISHI NO Uso" (2019). He has produced a wide range of hit films and is also known for his assistance in the creation of Studio Ghibli films.

He is also known for his cooperation on the artwork for Studio Ghibli films. In recent years, he has participated in "The Weather Child" (2019), "Flashlight Hathaway" (2021), and "The Dragon and the Freckled Princess" (2021), mainly as a background artist. With the tradition and skills they have cultivated over the years, Telecom Animation Films continues to take on the challenge of creating new works, drawing attention to the beautiful skies and fascinating characters.

Comments from Mayu Hotta, Nobunaga Shimazaki, and Junya Enoki have also arrived!

The main character, Tamaki Tsuru-Tamaki, aka "Tsuru-Tama," is played by Mayu Hotta, who is an exclusive model for "non-no" magazine and has also appeared in NHK's TV series "Warotenka" (2005-2006), the drama "3nen A-gumi: Kakamatachi wa yoru ha, Hito desu" (2007, NTV), and the movie "Kagu" (2007, NTV), (2007, NTV), and the movie "Kaguya-sama wa kesshirasai - Tensai-tachi no koi no kanrenshu-" (2007, NTV), among others. She won the role of the main character, Tamaki, in an audition.

Jun Kuramochi, who recruits Tsurutama to join the Aonagi University Athletic Club and is the captain and absolute ace of the aviation club, will play Jun Kuramochi, who has starred as Haruka Nanase in the "Free!" series, Tachika Fujimaru in "Fate/GrandOrder", Baki Hanma in the "Baki" series, and has also appeared in a number of high-profile films, including "Jujutsu Kaisen In addition, he is a popular voice actor, Nobunaga Shimazaki, who plays the role of Shinjin in "Jujutsu Kaisen".

In addition, Daisuke Sorachi, a senior student in charge of training and taking good care of Tsurutama, who initially opposes Tsurutama, will be played by the highly popular voice actor Daisuke Sorachi, who has appeared in numerous popular productions, including "Jujutsu Kaisen," as the main character Yujin Toraje, "Digimon Adventure tri. Junya Enoki is a highly sought-after voice actor who has appeared in a number of popular productions.

Comments from Mayu Hotta, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Junya Enoki, and director Masanori Tachibana have also been received (original text only).

Comment from Mayu Hotta as Tamaki Tsuru
I had always wanted to do voice work someday, so I was very happy when I heard the result of the audition. I was so happy when I heard the result of the audition. I wore blue clothes to the audition to express my image of the "beautiful blue sky," which is also the theme of this work.
Working with Mr. Shimazaki, Mr. Enoki, and others who are active on the front lines of the industry, I learned a lot every day. Many things were new to me and difficult, but thanks to everyone, I was able to enjoy the play very much.
I played the role of Tamaki Tsuru, a naive girl who changes her facial expression every now and then and tries her best in everything she does. She is a wonderful heroine who makes everyone smile. I did my best to play the role while keeping close to Tamaki's straightforward thoughts and feelings. It is a work that makes you want to look up at the sky and gives you a positive feeling. I hope you will enjoy the "beautiful sky" on the big screen in the theater!

Comment from Nobunaga Shimazaki as Jun Kuramochi
The original story and the script for this film were both very interesting and I read them in one sitting. I think everyone has had a longing for the sky at one time or another, but now that I'm here, I want to try flying again. I wondered if I would be able to experience a view from a glider that would change my sense of value.
Jun Kuramochi, the character I played, is always relaxed and aloof, blessed with talent and a good environment, a perfect superhero...but he has his own complicated circumstances. I enjoy playing roles that have a solid backbone and a heavy burden, so I had a lot of fun playing the role. The actual recording was a lot of fun, and I believe that if we thought it was a good, interesting, and enjoyable production, we are sure that everyone who sees it will get the same impression. It is a very good piece of work, so I hope you will go to the theater and enjoy it straight away, letting your own sensibilities guide you. I am sure something wonderful will be left in your heart.

Comment from Junya Enoki as Daisuke Sorachi
When I read the original story and the script, I felt that this work depicts team bonding and the growth of each character through the sport of gliding, and that it is a refreshing coming-of-age story with a touch of romance. I tried to do it while remembering my own college days, but it was difficult because I had not experienced such a dazzling adolescence (laughs). The character I played, Daisuke Sorachi, often pokes fun at the main character, Tsurutama (Tamaki Tsuru). His rebellion comes from his passion for Kuramochi (Jun Kuramochi), whom he admires, and for gliders, so he is a good boy with a tsun tsun but actually has a passionate heart. And from the recording stage, I was looking forward to seeing how the big sky, which is the stage of this work, would be depicted. I hope everyone will enjoy the power of the glider and the depiction of the scenery!

Director Masanori Tachibana comment
After reading the original story, I felt that it was a life-size story of Tamaki, who is a nobody, struggling to find her "place in the world" while involving others, while depicting an unusual club activity, the Aviation Club, with a bright and fresh touch.
From the time of the audition, Ms. Hotta, who plays Tamaki, was very quick to take in the acting instructions, and the decision was unanimous with the sound director, Mr. Takayuki Yamaguchi. I was impressed by her brightness in portraying Tamaki's naivete and vivaciousness, and by her quick intuition in responding to our reckless requests. The way she gave her all to the play was just like Tamaki's, and it energized the staff to draw the characters as lively as her voice, and the drawings were very expressive.
I hope that after watching the movie, you will feel energized and inspired to "take a positive step forward". In addition to the appeal of the story, we are working hard to create a film that will allow viewers to experience the "exhilarating feeling of flying" and the "fascination of the sky" that only animation can provide. Please look forward to it.

Illustration and comment by Kana Ozawa, original author

Film Information
Animation film "Blue Thermal
Release date: March 2022
Cast: Mayu Hotta, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Junya Enoki
Original story: Kana Ozawa "Blue Thermal" (Shinchosha Bunch Comics)
Director: Masaki Tachibana
Screenplay: Masaki Tachibana
Written by Natsuko Takahashi
Animation Production: Telecom Animation Film
Production: "Blue Thermal" Production Committee
Distributor: Toei
Official film website: blue-thermal.jp
Official Film Twitter/Instagram: @eigabluethermal

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