Spoiler Warning. I tried to make the review as spoiler free as possible, but there still are some spoilers, while not anything major they do exist. The major ones I've marked under spoiler tags.

Today I rewatched this movie for the 2nd time, and I really wanted to share my thoughts on it. This turned out to be longer than I initially wanted it to, but hopefully it's a good read.

To start off, I will divide this review into the following groups:

• Intro
• Character Analysis
• Sound Design
• Animation

Intro

Liz and the Blue Bird is a simple tale of love, of learning to let go of someone you truly love. The film is set in the Sound! Euphonium universe.

Directed by Naoko Yamada, with Kensuke Ushio on the soundtrack, and Reiko Yoshida the screenwriter (whom also worked on the script for the Violet Evergarden Movie). This legendary trio under Kyoto Animation made one of the most intimate and pure stories to ever exist.

The film takes place in the Kitauji High School, which in the beginning of the film feels like a cold and isolated place. Mirroring the relationship between Mizore and Nozomi.

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This is the opening first few minutes of the film (after the opening scene with Liz). There is so much beauty and detail in this sequence. The music, how the visuals portray these two polar opposites, the footstep sounds, the facial expressions, and Nozomi's slightly awkward giggle.

Kensuke Ushio did a fantastic job with the sound design. The scene starts off with an abstract, almost rough tune which slowly picks up as Nozomi shows up. Signalling very early on the personality of these two characters and the kind of relationship between them.

We see the detail in how these characters walk, The way they put their shoes down, How Nozomi's expressive nature is shown by the movement in her hair and skirt, Mizore being reserved has almost no movement. The way Nozomi is always shown walking ahead - Mizore always behind her, watching over Nozomi. Yet Mizore is the one with the keys to the music room. Showing how in fact, she is the one leading them.

Character Analysis

(saving the best characters for last :))

Ririka:
Kenzaki Ririka, along with the other members in the double reeds section look up to Mizore and are very friendly towards her. Ririka is a great character and makes every scene she's in wholesome with her personality and bubbly nature. I appreciate that she gives Mizore the time and space to warm up to her.

I love how bright and warm the color pallete in this scene are.

Natsuki
Natsuki is one of my favorite characters in the Sound Euphonium universe, and in general one of my favorite Side characters of all time.

spoilers for sound euphonium

Nozomi
Nozomi appears warm and friendly on the surface, yet at times she unintentionally comes out as selfish. Even if she tries to hide it, she's jealous of Mizore. She is jealous of her talent and afraid of being left behind.

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Nozomi knows that Mizore’s world revolves around her. She wants to move forward, yet doesn't realize Mizore’s feelings, nor her own.

This scene in the movie where Mizore asks Nozomi if she can invite Ririka to join them on the outing. For a brief moment Nozomi's facial expression change. She's shocked, maybe even a little hurt? As another student walks past her, she's smiling again like usual.

In the following scene we see that same expression again. And once more, she hides it and goes back to her usual self with no resolve to understand her own feelings.

Mizore
Mizore is one of the most relatable characters I've seen, and easily one of my favorites of all time. She's reserved, quiet and unsure of how to express herself. She holds the people she loves very close to her heart, especially Nozomi. To the point where her entire world seems to revolve around her.

Mizore’s character development is subtle. At the beginning of the film she exists almost entirely in relation to Nozomi. Her interaction with Ririka is heartwarming, and very important to her development, Ririka is the first person Mizore befriends whom isn't directly tied to Nozomi. Through music Mizore is able to find an identity and her oboe becomes the instrument to express herself, and the feelings that she finds difficulty to put into words.

Around the end of the film we see a small detail. Mizore is no longer walking behind Nozomi, but beside her. It's subtle but it's a testament to her growth and her new found independence as a person.

Sound Design

The sound design in the film is immaculate. It plays a huge role in how the story is told. The music is an inseperable part of the film, and will not feel the same without the music. The film uses silence, and makes simple things like footsteps, breathing, movement of cloth sound realistic.

That last performance and Mizore’s solo in particular genuinely brought me to tears.

Animation & Cinematography

The film (almost obsessively) focuses on small details. Like the way characters walk, their body language, and the distance between them are all perfectly framed.

Birds are shown to reflect the current tone of the story. Like when Mizore and Ririka play together for the first time, we see an orange bird flying in the distance, signaling a new formed connection between them. In the final performance the beautiful visual showing the blue bird's escape from its cage, symbolizing the culmination of Mizore and Nozomi’s journey.

All of these details combined with the color palette, the lighting, and masterful framing, are able to express this intimate story. This kind of storytelling is why I fell in love with anime, and art in general. I can forget about the hectic, fast paced world and completely immerse myself into the quiet and intimate world of anime.

Stories like this are the ones I will always cherish, and I will forever appreciate this kind of quiet, intimate storytelling.

I watched this film before Sound! Euphonium (so these characters were completely new to me) and it still shot up to become one of my favorite films of all time. If it weren't for Naoko Yamada's other masterpiece 'A Silent Voice', This film would have easily been my most favorite of all time.

If you made it till the end, Thank you for reading my first ever review on here :). I really appreciate it and hope you could relate to it in some way.