With original artwork, interesting animation, and creative sounds, this Japanese animated film is very entertaining. Written and directed by Kenji Iwaisawa, On-Gaku: Our Sound is based on the original manga by Hiroyuki Ohashi. The film itself contains over 40,000 hand-drawn scenes.
Kenji, the leader of several high school teens, is bored with fighting the rival gang led by Ota. When Kenji walks home, another teen hands him a bass guitar so he can chase after a thief. Holding the guitar gives Kenji an idea to form a band with his friends Ata and Asakura.
After taking two bass guitars and a drum set from the school music room, the three fellows head to Kenji’s house to practice. But none of them know how to play the instruments! Asakura begins by beating a repetitious note on the drums while Kenji and Ata strum their bass guitars producing a low percussive rhythm. Kenji’s friend Aya hears the music and comes inside to listen. She tells them, “It’s good and manly”.
The group names their band Kobujutsu only to find out there is another band called Kobijutsu. Kenji finds their leader Morita and the rest of the group playing folk music. Morita listens to Kenji’s group play and invites them to perform at the Sakamoto Town Rock Festival. Ata, Asakura, and the girls pass out flyers advertising the festival. Soon, Kenji becomes bored with the band, leaving his friends to practice alone.
On the day of the festival, Kenji’s rival Ota, along with Ota’s gang, seek out Kenji. Ota asks Kenji to fight them or destroy the guitar. Kenji goes ahead and smashes the guitar, whips out a recorder, and begins playing the instrument as he sprints from the gang. At the festival, when it is Kobijutsu’s turn to play, Morita breaks out into rock music and the audience responds enthusiastically.
Still playing his recorder, Kenji arrives at the festival and comes up on the stage just as his group takes a turn. Ata and Asakura quickly respond to the fast-paced recorder music and Morita and her group join them for a terrific burst of a rock sound. Soon after, Kenji loses interest in the band and turns his attention to Aya.
With a shaved head, narrow mustache, and eyes drawn in an unusual way, Kenji is an interesting character. Contemplative at times, Kenji forces viewers to wait a few seconds while he thinks about a subject, smokes a cigarette, and allows his thoughts to crystallize. Aya is a fun character as well, not afraid to challenge her friend Kenji. On-Gaku: Our Sound is sure to induce laughter. Recommended as a unique addition to library shelves specializing in animation and international films.