A new feature film is here with the March 2022 adaptation of Kana Ozawa’s Blue Thermal -Aonagi Daigaku Taiiku-kai Kōkū-bu- manga. With the film seeing a March 4th, 2022 date for it, it arrived without issue and we’ve seen Japanese home video releases set as well. Eleven Arts handled the release of the film in theaters and with the home video release – check out our review of the film.
Earlier this year, UK distributor Anime Limited revealed their pickup of the show for a home video release. It was made available direct from them on February 5th, 2024 priced at £39.99 and will be in Japanese with English subtitles only. It’ll come with a slipcover and a 32-page booklet with the set while on-disc extras include the character highlights and an interview with the director.
A regular edition was quietly released from them, it turns out, back on April 29th, 2024. That set comes in at £19.99 and doesn’t come with the booklet or slipcover but retains the same on-disc extras, which is a pretty good savings at 50% off the collector’s edition price.
Shout! Factory previously solicited the film on Blu-ray where it’ll be priced at $26.98 when it arrives on March 14th, 2023. The release will be in its original Japanese language with English subtitles only. No extras are currently listed for it.
The feature film is being directed by Masaki Tachibana who is working on the screenplay with Natsuko Takahashi. Telecom Animation Film is handling the animation production.
The Japanese cast includes Mayu Hotta as protagonist Tamaki Tsuru, Nobunaga Shimazaki as glider club member Jun Kuramochi, Junya Enoki as glider club member Daisuke Sorachi, Mikako Komatsu as Chizuru Yano, Daisuke Ono as Yō Asahina, Haruka Shiraishi as Yukari Muroi, Yō Taichi as Ayako Maki, Ayumu Murase as Eita Narihara, Makoto Furukawa as Ryōhei Nanba, Rie Takahashi as Kaori Mochida, Taku Yashiro as Harukaze Aihara, Kengo Kawanishi as Kaede Hatori, and Minori Terada as Aonagi’s director.
The manga ran for five volumes between 2014 and 2017.
Check out the official site and Twitter.
Plot Concept: “I want to experience a love that sparkles!” Arriving from Nagasaki with her wishful mantra is Tamaki Tsuru, who in high school could think only about volleyball. Things don’t begin well, however, when she looks for an extracurricular club to join and proceeds to immediately ding a glider at aviation club tryouts ending up having to work it off. She is initially disillusioned with campus life. Then Kuramochi, the club leader and glider pilot, takes Tamaki under his wing, and from the moment he takes her up for a flight in a glider, Tamaki becomes a captive of the vast beauty of the skies.
Previous promos and visuals:
