Amazon Prime Video has begun streaming the live-action Blue Period film, based on Tsubasa Yamaguchi’s manga, in both the U.S. and Japan as of Friday.
The movie premiered in Japan on August 9, following its screening at the Japan Cuts film festival in New York on July 13.
The cast includes:
- Gordon Maeda as Yatora Yaguchi
- Fumiya Takahashi as Ryuji Ayukawa
- Rihito Itagaki as Yotasuke Takahashi
- Hiyori Sakurada as Maru Mori
- Hiroko Yakushimaru as Masako Saeki
- Noriko Eguchi as Mayu Ōba
- Hikari Ishida as Marie Yaguchi
- Sena Nakajima as Maki Kuwana
- Ikuho Akiya as Haruka Hashida
- Katsumi Hyōdō as Koigakubo
- Masaki Miura as Mr. Gotō
- Yasuhide Aiki (from the comedy duo Zun) as Yukinobu Yaguchi
Kentarō Hagiwara (live-action Tokyo Ghoul) directed the film, while Reiko Yoshida (Blue Period anime) wrote the screenplay. The film’s music was composed by Yūki “Yaffle” Kojima.
Yamaguchi first launched the Blue Period manga in Kodansha’s Afternoon magazine in June 2017. Kodansha released the series’ 16th compiled volume on November 21.
Blue Period (Photo: Amazon Prime)
Kodansha USA Publishing is releasing the manga in English, with the 15th volume published on August 20. The company describes the story as follows:
Yatora is the ideal high school student—academically successful and socially active. However, his seemingly perfect life feels unfulfilling.
One day, he stumbles into the art room, where a single painting captivates him, opening his eyes to a new world of beauty he never imagined. Driven by this discovery, he dives into the world of art, only to realize just how ruthless and demanding it can be.
The manga won the 13th Manga Taisho Award in 2020, after having been nominated the previous year. It was also a nominee for the 24th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in February 2020.
Additionally, it ranked #14 on the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list for male readers in December 2019 and #15 the following year. The series also secured the Best General Manga award at the 44th annual Kodansha Manga Awards in 2020.
Blue Period was adapted into a television anime in 2021. The anime premiered on Netflix in Japan in September of that year before airing on Japanese television in October. Netflix began streaming the series internationally in October 2021, releasing new episodes weekly.
In March 2022, the series was also adapted into a stage play.
