Homecomings to perform film's theme song

The staff of Kyoto Animation's Liz to Aoitori ( Liz und ein Blauer Vogel or Liz and the Bluebird), the first of two planned all-new anime films in the Sound! Euphonium franchise, announced on Tuesday that 13-year-old figure skater Miyu Honda will have her first voice acting role in the film. Honda will play two characters from the film's in-story fairy tale: Liz, an orphan girl who lives alone by a lake, and a mysterious blue-haired girl who saves Liz when she falls.

In addition, the staff announced that Kyoto-based three-woman, one-man band Homecomings will perform the film's theme song "Songbirds."

Most of the main cast from the previous Sound! Euphonium anime are reprising their roles. The returning cast and characters include:

Atsumi Tanezaki as Mizore Yoroizuka, a third-year oboist. Before studying at Kitauji, she came from Kyoto's Minami Junior High School band program, where she developed top class skills. Nozomi means everything to her, and she can't bring herself to be truly interested in anything else.



Nao Tōyama as Nozomi Kasaki, a third-year flutist. As with Mizore, she also graduated from Minami Junior High School. She did not join band in her first year of high school, but rejoined in the summer of her second year. She is highly skilled and has a bright personality, which endears her to all the underclassmen.



Konomi Fujimura as Natsuki Nakagawa, a third-year euphonist, and the band's vice president. She only started playing an instrument in high school. In her middle school years, she had admired Nozomi within her circle of friends.



Yuri Yamaoka as Yūko Yoshikawa, a third-year trumpeter, and the band's president. She has been worried about Mizore since the crisis two years ago that led many members of the band to quit.



Tomoyo Kurosawa as Kumiko Ōmae, a second-year euphonist.



Ayaka Asai as Hazuki Katō, a second-year tubist.



Moe Toyota as Sapphire "Midori" Kawashima, a second-year bassist.



Chika Anzai as Reina Kōsaka, a second-year trumpeter





Other cast members include:

Houko Kuwashima as Satomi Niiyama

Yūichi Nakamura as Masahiro Hashimoto

Takahiro Sakurai as Noboru Taki

Shiori Sugiura will voice a new character Ririka Kenzaki. Ririka is a new first-year oboist who tries hard to communicate with her fellow oboist and upperclassman Mizore.

The film will open in Japan on April 21.

The film will tell a new story of third-year students Nozomi Kasaki and Mizore Yoroizuka.

Naoko Yamada (K-ON!, A Silent Voice) is directing the film off scripts by Reiko Yoshida (K-ON!, Yowamushi Pedal). Futoshi Nishiya (A Silent Voice, Free!, episode animation director for both television anime seasons), is returning to design the characters. Mutsuo Shinohara (A Silent Voice, Clannad) is returning as art director. Kensuke Ushio (A Silent Voice, Space Dandy) is composing the music.

Other staff members include:

Color Design: Naomi Ishida

Instrument Setting: Hiroyuki Takahashi

Director of Photography: Kazuya Takao

3D Director: Tetsuo Umetsu

Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka

Music Production: Lantis

Music Production Cooperation: Senzoku Gakuen College of Music

Music Supervision: Masahiro Ōwada

The second planned film will tell the story of Kumiko Ōmae and others as second-year students. Tatsuya Ishihara (both seasons of Sound! Euphonium) is directing that film.

The second flashback film in the franchise, Gekijō-ban Hibike! Euphonium: Todoketai Melody , opened in Japan last September. Tatsuya Ishihara (both seasons of Sound! Euphonium) served as chief director, and Taichi Ogawa (unit director for Tamako Love Story, A Silent Voice) directed the film. The film looks back on the events of the second season of the anime series.

Source: Comic Natalie

Update: Homecomings description fixed. Thanks, VS.