Features
North America
Trailer: GKIDS Rocks Out with ‘On-Gaku: Our Sound’ Pick-Up

GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced that it has acquired the North American distribution rights for the animated feature On-Gaku: Our Sound from director Kenji Iwaisawa, based on the manga by Hiroyuki Ohashi.
In production for over seven years, On-Gaku: Our Sound is composed of over 40,000 hand drawn frames, using the rotoscoping animation technique. The film won the Nelvana Grand Prize at the 2019 Ottawa International Animation Festival, and has been selected for the Contrechamp Competition section at the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
GKIDS will release the film in 2020.
Synopsis: When you’re a bored teenager looking for thrills, sometimes the only thing you can turn to is rock ‘n roll. Having no skill, money, or even a full set of drums, a feared trio of high school delinquents nevertheless decide they are destined for musical glory in a quest to impress their only friend Aya, avoid a rival gang, and — most importantly — jam out.
Animated almost entirely by Iwaisawa, and featuring a lead performance by Japanese alt-rock legend Shintaro Sakamoto, On-Gaku: Our Sound brings its own sound and vision to the Hiroyuki Ohashi manga from which it was adapted. With pitch-perfect deadpan humor, the film presents a highly original take on the beloved slacker comedy: a lo-fi buddy film with a blaring musical finale that will leave you wanting an immediate encore.
Rodney Uhler of GKIDS and Emico Kawai of Nikkatsu Corporation negotiated the deal for North American rights.
“On-Gaku: Our Sound reminds us of our favorite indie comedies while remaining a wholly unique film,” said Uhler, GKIDS’ Director of Special Projects. “Kenji Iwaisawa’s remarkable hand-drawn work has created a film full of quotable lines, distinctive characters and infectious style. It remains one of the most fun viewing experiences we’ve had all year, and we can’t wait to share the film with audiences.”
China’s animation, gaming and comics video-sharing site Bilibili and Shanghai Media Tech have joined forces to...
Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Has a Black Hero. In Denmark, a White Actor Dubs the Voice The New...
Winsing Animation has announced that Diary of Dinosaurs is roaring ahead with a theatrical release in...
***This article originally appeared in the February ’21 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 307)*** Hong Kong-based...
Technology has been rapidly moving toward virtual connectivity and interactivity for decades. And with the recent...
Jim Henson fans will rejoice as classic seasons of The Muppet Show finally arrive in ...
The 25th edition of the Lumières Awards, which traditionally kicks off the French cinema awards ...
Future Today, the only full-stack streaming solution that packages branded channels and delivers audiences to ...
Jiang Ziya — the acclaimed follow-up to the international blockbuster Ne Zha and the second ...
Television comedy veteran David Richardson, who contributed to the world of animation through his work ...