Deemo: Memorial Keys

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Deemo: Memorial Keys
KanjiDEEMO サクラノオト -あなたの奏でた音が、今も響く-
Revised HepburnDeemo Sakura no Oto: Anata no Kanadeta Oto ga, Ima mo Hibiku
Directed byShūhei Matsushita
Written by
  • Junichi Fujisaku
  • Bun'Ō Fujisawa
Based onDeemo
Starring
CinematographyHisashi Ezura
Edited byYoshinori Murakami
Music by
  • Yoshichika Kuriyama
  • Shiho Terada
  • Kaho Suzuki
  • Yu Sonoda
Production
companies
Distributed byPony Canyon
Release dates
  • October 22, 2021 (2021-10-22) (Bucheon IAF)
  • February 25, 2022 (2022-02-25) (Japan)
Running time
89 minutes[1]
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Deemo: Memorial Keys (Japanese: DEEMO サクラノオト -あなたの奏でた音が、今も響く-, Hepburn: Deemo Sakura no Oto: Anata no Kanadeta Oto ga, Ima mo Hibiku, lit. 'Deemo: The Sound of Cherry Blossoms — The Sound You Played Still Echoes') is a 2021 Japanese animated film produced by Production I.G and Signal.MD, based on the Taiwanese mobile rhythm game Deemo developed by Rayark. It was released theatrically in Japan in February 2022. This was Signal.MD's final anime film as the studio will be absorbed by Production I.G in June 2025.[2]

Synopsis

The titular Deemo is a mysterious character that plays the piano in a castle. One day, amnesiac girl Alice (Ayana Taketatsu) comes falling from the sky, which starts the story of the two of them, the castle inhabitants, and a tree that grows with the sound of the piano.[3]

Cast

Character Cast
Japanese English[4]
Alice Ayana Taketatsu
The Masked Lady Akari Nibu Michelle Marie
Sania Akari Kitō Luci Christian
Rosalia Ayane Sakura Stephanie Sheh
Hans Kouhei Matsushita Bryce Papenbrook
Fragrant Sachet Naomi Watanabe Luci Christian
Mirai Gaku Hamada Bryce Papenbrook
Nutcracker Issey Ogata Mike Pollock
Professor Valensky Kōichi Yamadera Mike Pollock

Production

Game developer Rayark announced that Deemo would receive an animated adaptation in November 2019. The film would be animated by Production I.G and Signal.MD, and directed by Shūhei Matsushita, with Junichi Fujisaku serving as executive director and Mebachi as character designer.[5]

The theme song is titled "Nocturne" (stylized in all lowercase), composed by Yuki Kajiura and performed by Hinano Takashima. Takashima was selected through a worldwide audition of 1400 participants that took place from January to July 2020, with the final round being broadcast as part of the Anime Expo Lite 2020 online event on July 4.[6][7]

Ayana Taketatsu was the first voice actress announced to take part in the film, continuing her performance in Deemo: Last Recital as the voice of main character Alice. In March 2021, it was announced at the AnimeJapan 2021 virtual event that Akari Nibu of Hinatazaka46 would voice the Masked Lady. In July, Ayane Sakura and Akari Kitō was announced to have also joined the cast at the Anime Expo Lite 2021; the official English title of the film, Deemo: Memorial Keys, was also announced at the same event.[3] Five more cast members were announced in October.[8]

The film was Nibu and Kōhei Matsushita's first major voice acting role. Despite this, Fujisaku decided to treat Nibu "equally" and raised his expectations of her,[9] while Taketatsu commented that Nibu's performance did not "feel like that of a first-timer".[10] Meanwhile, Matsushita consulted "word by word" with the director on producing a voice which would fit the film's world, and also drew from his experience as a pianist.[10]

Release

Deemo: Memorial Keys was first screened at the 23rd Bucheon International Animation Film Festival on October 22, 2021.[11] It was released theatrically in Japan on February 25, 2022,[12] Thailand on March 17,[13] and Taiwan on March 25.[14]

On June 4, 2022, American distribution company Eleven Arts announced that it obtained the distribution license for Deemo: Memorial Keys.[15] The film was released in select U.S. theaters on February 2, 2023.[4]

Reception

Yuichi Shigeta of IGN commented that Deemo: Memorial Keys is generally respectful to the source material and would satisfy both newcomers and fans of the game, although it would not exceed the expectations of the latter. The flow of storytelling was considered reminiscent of the game despite the differences in media, and the addition of original characters does not interfere with the main storyline. While the animation is not very "adventurous", he recommended the film to be watched in theaters to enjoy the music to the fullest.[16]

Accolades

Award Category Recipient(s) Outcome
Bucheon International Animation Festival 2021 International Competition - Feature Film[11][17] Deemo: Memorial Keys Nominated

References

  1. ^ 劇場版 DEEMO サクラノオト　あなたの奏でた音が、今も響く. Eiga.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  2. ^ "プロダクションIG、アニメスタジオのシグナル・エムディを6月1日付で吸収合併…経営資源の有効活用でグループ全体の収益性の改善・向上 | gamebiz". gamebiz【ゲームビズ】 (in Japanese). Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Unveiled at Anime Expo Lite 2021, Ayane Sakura and Akari Kito Will Appear in "Deemo the Movie"". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Mateo, Alex (January 24, 2023). "Deemo Memorial Keys Anime Film Screens in U.S. on February 2". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  5. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 15, 2019). "Deemo Rhythm Game Inspires Anime Film by Signal.MD, Production I.G". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  6. ^ Mateo, Alex (January 14, 2022). "DEEMO Memorial Keys Anime Film Unveils New Trailer, Visual". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  7. ^ Komatsu, Mikikazu (July 5, 2020). "14-Year-Old Hinano Takashima Wins DEEMO THE MOVIE's Theme Song Singer Audition". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  8. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 21, 2021). "DEEMO Memorial Keys Anime Film Reveals February 25 Debut, 5 More Cast Members". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "日向坂46・丹生明里、劇場アニメ『DEEMO THE MOVIE』キャストに抜擢". BARKS (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "日向坂46丹生明里、憧れの長編アニメ声優初挑戦で「感極まっちゃいました」竹達彩奈も絶賛＜DEEMO サクラノオト＞ - モデルプレス". モデルプレス - ライフスタイル・ファッションエンタメニュース (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "DEEMO THE MOVIE Announces Domestic Theatrical Release Date and New Dub Cast". finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  12. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 28, 2021). "Deemo the Movie Anime Film's Trailer Reveals Final Title, More Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 28, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  13. ^ タイランドハイパーリンクス (January 3, 2022). "劇場アニメ「DEEMO サクラノオト -あなたの奏でた音が、 今も響く-」タイで2022年3月17日より劇場公開 | タイランドハイパーリンクス：Thai Hyper" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  14. ^ "有影/台灣音樂手遊《DEEMO》改編成電影登大銀幕！渡邊直美配到聲音沙啞". tw.news.yahoo.com (in Chinese). Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  15. ^ "Eleven Arts Licenses The House of the Lost on the Cape, Deemo Memorial Keys Films". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  16. ^ Posted 2022年2月11日17:00, by重田雄一 (February 11, 2022). "劇場アニメ『DEEMO サクラノオト -あなたの奏でた音が、今も響く-』の完成披露試写会レポート&本編感想 アニメは原作ファンも期待通りの出来". IGN Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "BIAF 2022. 10.21 ~ 25 BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL 1". biaf.or.kr. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2022.