Ni no Kuni

NiNoKuni (二ノ国, Second Country) is a 2019 Japanese animated action fantasy film based on the video game series of the same name developed by Akihiro Hino at Level-5. The film is directed by Yoshiyuki Momose, with Akihiro Hino serving as executive producer, story, and screenwriter for the film, produced by OLM, Inc. and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The story of the film takes place centuries after the events of Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom. The film was released in Japan on August 23, 2019.

Netflix acquired the streaming rights for the film, and it premiered worldwide on January 16, 2020.

Synopsis
Best friends Yuu, Haru, and Kotona enjoy a tranquil high school life together. One day, however, a suspicious man pursues and stabs Kotona—a catastrophe that Yuu and Haru fail to prevent. While hastily carrying the girl to the hospital, the two boys are nearly hit by a truck but miraculously remain unharmed. Instead, they find themselves in a fairy-tale-like kingdom with an exotic diversity of people and wonderful creatures.

To their surprise, the boys discover that Yuu, who has been confined to a wheelchair since childhood, can now walk! Yet they have no time to ponder the puzzling situation, as their friend is gone. Setting off to find Kotona, Yuu and Haru stop at a local pub to inquire about her. But upon inspecting a picture of Asha, the kingdom's princess, the two have a shocking revelation.

Narrating an extraordinary adventure in a magical world, Ni no Kuni demonstrates the special connection between two separate yet parallel worlds and its manifestation of the bonds between individuals.

Background
Released in Japan on August 23, 2019 and on Netflix worldwide on January 16, 2020, Ni no Kuni is an anime adaptation of the acclaimed video game series of the same name. Studio Ghibli contributed character designs and other components to the games, but it is notably not associated with the movie, despite its similar visual tones and textures.

Ni no Kuni was the first feature-length work directed by Studio Ghibli's animator Yoshiyuki Momose, who has served as the director of the animation in addition to having drawn character designs and storyboards for the games. Moreover, the film features a score from Studio Ghibli's collaborator and composer Joe Hisaishi, who has also acted as the lead composer for the games' music.

While the film's narrative differs from the plot in the games, the movie's story includes elements from the games such as the setting, racial diversity among the characters, names, and visual references to particular individuals and items.

Animated Film
It was released nationwide on August 23, 2019. The catchphrase is "Choose life." The basic setting is inherited from the original game "Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom", but the main character is a high school student, and the world where the main character lives is modern Japan. It becomes an original story. Akihiro Hino, who wrote the script, says that the story is set several hundred years after "Ni no Kuni II". The voice actor audition was held as a collaboration project with LINE LIVE.

Staff
It was novelized by Kodansha KK Bunko on August 27, 2019, and DVD and Blu-ray were released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on January 8, 2020.
 * Original: Level Five
 * Executive Producer/Draft/Screenplay: Akihiro Hino
 * Director: Yoshiyuki Momose
 * Music: Joe Hisaishi
 * Theme song: Keina Suda "MOIL" (WARNER MUSIC JAPAN / unBORDE )
 * Executive Producer: Koetsu Koiwai
 * Producer: Tsukasa Koitabashi
 * Animation Producer: Hiroyuki Kato
 * Character design: Yasushi Nishitani
 * Assistant Director/Director: Hiroyuki Morita
 * Director: Jun Owada, Masahiro Matsunaga, Yasushi Murotani, Naohito Takahashi, Makoto Nakata
 * Art Director: Shiori Shiwa
 * Color design: Chie Tanimoto
 * Director of Photography: Ryo Kujirai
 * Sound Director: Soichiro Kubo
 * Editing: Hitoshi Nogawa
 * Animation Production: OLM
 * Distributor: Warner Bros. Films
 * Production: Movie "Ni no Kuni" Production Committee (Level Five, Warner Bros. Movies, OLM, Bandai, Kodansha, Aeon Entertainment, Dentsu, Movic, Netmarble Corp., KDDI, LINE, Hikari TV, Bandai Namco Amusement)

Development
In February 2019, Warner Bros. Japan announced at a press conference that Level-5 was producing an anime film based on Ni no Kuni. Yoshiyuki Momose, who provided various storyboards and key animations for many of Studio Ghibli's film, as well as serving as an animation director for Dominion of the Dark Djinn and a character designer for Revenant Kingdom, was announced as the main director for the film with OLM, Inc. handling the animation production. Level-5's Akihiro Hino, who created and wrote the Ni no Kuni video game series, served as an executive producer, story, and screenwriter for the film.

Casting
Kento Yamazaki was the first cast member to be announced during the press conference. Other cast members were revealed that same month, with Maaya Sakamoto as Saki/Bertha, Mamoru Miyano as Gnauss, Kenjiro Tsuda as Galeroth, Kōichi Yamadera as Barton, and Yuki Kaji as Dandy. Mackenryu Arata and Mei Nagano were cast as Haru and Kotona respectively. Masatō Ibu and Toshiyoshi Muro were later cast as King Astrum and the Old Man.

Music
Joe Hisaishi returned to score the music for the film, after composing the music for Dominion of the Dark Djinn, Wrath of the White Witch and Revenant Kingdom. The film's theme song is "MOIL", sung by Keina Suda of Porno Graffitti.

Release
The film was released in theaters in Japan on August 23, 2019. Netflix released the film internationally on January 16, 2020.

Reception
The film debuted in seventh place at the weekend box office and dropped to tenth in its second week.

External Link

 * Ni no Kuni Game ─ Official Website
 * Animated Film "Ni no Kuni" ─ Official Website JP
 * Animated Film "Ni no Kuni" ─ Netflix Website JP
 * Animated Film "Ni no Kuni" Official (@Ninokuni_movie) - Twitter
 * Animated Film "Ni no Kuni" ─ YouTube Playlist
 * Animated Film "Ni no Kuni" ─ Wikipedia JP
 * Animated Film "Ni no Kuni" ─ Wikipedia EN

Trivia
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