Funimation announced that its co-produced anime feature Sing a Bit of Harmony is ready to make some sweet music with cinema audiences, with a select U.S. theatrical rollout starting January 23. Written and directed by Yasuhiro Yoshiura with animation by J.C.STAFF, the story is a heartwarming high school romp about a popular new girl with a curious secret, and her quest to bring happiness to her classmates.
When the beautiful and mysterious Shion transfers to Keibu High School, she quickly becomes popular for her open-hearted personality and exceptional athletic talent… but she turns out to be an AI in the testing phase! Shion’s goal is to bring chronic loner Satomi “happiness.” But her strategy is something no human would expect: she serenades Satomi in the middle of the classroom. After finding out that Shion is an AI, Satomi and her childhood friend, engineering geek Toma, steadily warm up to the new student. Along with the popular and attractive Gotchan, the strong-willed Aya and judo club member “Thunder”, they become more and more moved by Shion’s singing voice and earnestness even as her antics bewilder them. But what Shion does for Satomi’s sake ends up involving them all in some serious pandemonium…
The cast features Megan Shipman as the English voice of Shion, Tao Tsuchiya in the original Japanese; Risa Me / Haruka Fukuhara as Satomi; Jordan Dash Cruz / Asuka Kudo as Toma; Ian Sinclair / Kazuyuki Okitsu as Gotchan, Alexis Tipton / Mikako Komatsu as Aya; and Kamen Casey / Satoshi Hino as Thunder.
Sing a Bit of Harmony has picked up a Best Animated Film award from the New York City Film & Television Festival, the Audience Award from Scotland Loves Anime Festival and was a finalist in the New York Animation Film Awards since its debut in Japan.
The key creative team also includes co-writer Ichirou Ohkouchi, character designer Kanna Kii, animation director Hidekazu Shimamura, screenwriter Ichiro Okochi, composer Ryo Takahashi and songwriter Youhei Matsui.
