Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing is a film that fans have been waiting for. Based on the mobile game Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage (or Project SEKAI in Japan), this rhythm game mixes the popular Crypton Vocaloid characters alongside a cast of 20 diverse personalities. While the series had an anime in the form of Petit Sekai, it was a lighthearted take on the gacha game with a chibi style. This one is a fully-fledged anime feature length film with solid music and an intriguing story that fans will eat up.
What is Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing?
In this world, Hatsune Miku is a huge superstar, and there are five different groups that interact with her through their virtual SEKAI. As summer vacation begins for the students at Kamiyama High School and Miyamasuzaka Girls’ Academy, Leo/Need leader Ichika Hoshino comes across a version of Hatsune Miku that’s a bit unique: This Miku doesn’t know how to reach out to people with her music.
This wandering Miku starts appearing around the different characters’ phones and it’s up to them to help this mysterious Miku. Unfortunately, this discourages her as she tries in vain to assist those in need of help, which causes some problems in the digital world. In fact, due to her inability to reach out to people, it causes her own SEKAI to crumble into darkness. This extends to each of the other SEKAI’s Miku characters, as they are all taken away. Unfortunately, this also means that without her voice, Miku’s vocals are taken out of songs all around the world. With the disappearance of Hatsune Miku (hey!), it’s up to the five groups to find her voice through their performances.
A Film for Fans
Just a heads up, you WILL need to catch up on the lore of each of the five groups to enjoy the movie fully. It’s an ensemble film that wastes no time with backstory, which means this would be a very hard jumping on point for the uninitiated. (At the very least, you should try and read the main stories of each group through the mobile game, which is readily available at this point.)
However, for those who are invested in Project SEKAI, however, this film is a treat for fans. The cameo appearances from the supporting cast is great as well as adding some cute moments for a lot of the cast. (Specifically, it was interesting to see how the related characters in different SEKAI react in their daily lives.) It won’t advance the current narrative of the gacha game, but it fleshes out a lot of the character interactions nicely.
What I do appreciate about this film is how it expands upon the everyday lives of each of the characters. From incognito shopping from the More More Jump crew to the Wonderland x Showtime crew practicing their routine, there are some fun moments for all. (It was also fun to finally see how characters enter their SEKAI!) The final stretch with numbers from each group is the standout here, with an amazing blend of 3D and 2D animation. Of course, music is in the forefront of the film, and there’s a lot of it in the latter half. All the cast members get a part in this finale, which is a treat no matter which group is your favorite. (Also, if you’re a fan of DECO*27, you’ll be in rhythm heaven.)
Overall, Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing is a musical delight for those who want to see Miku on the big screen. With great animation and moments that flesh out the mobile game, there is a lot to love here!
Thanks to GKIDS for providing us with a screener for the film! The movie will be screening nationwide on April 17. Stay tuned for more anime news and reviews here on Miso!