Summary
- GKIDS has obtained the licensing rights for COLORFUL STAGE!, announcing an April 11th, 2025 release in North America with English subtitles.
- This film is an adaptation of the popular mobile game Projekt Sekai: Colorful Stage feat. Hatsune Miku, marking Miku’s debut in a full-length anime.
- The decision to include English subtitles indicates a growing trend in international accessibility for anime, paving the way for future releases.
This week, exciting developments emerged for North American fans of Hatsune Miku, particularly regarding the much-anticipated film COLORFUL STAGE! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing (referred to as COLORFUL STAGE!).Announced in the previous year, the film lacked confirmed international release dates and English subtitles until now. GKIDS has officially licensed the movie, revealing an April 11th theatrical release alongside an English-subtitled trailer.
The announcement was made through a press release via AnimeNewsNetwork. This deal marks GKIDS’ inaugural collaboration with CyberAgent, the entity behind COLORFUL STAGE!. The brief interval between the Japanese release, which occurred on January 17, 2025, and the North American opening, highlights the increasing influence of anime in western entertainment. Fans will have the opportunity to experience the film in theaters just a few months after its original release, rather than waiting indefinitely for an online version.
COLORFUL STAGE! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing
Hatsune Miku’s First Movie
COLORFUL STAGE! is particularly significant for VOCALOID enthusiasts. Since her inception in 2007 as a vocal synthesis program, Hatsune Miku has inspired a vibrant community in Japan and beyond, where fans produce original songs featuring her voice. Over the years, the VOCALOID phenomenon has expanded to include new characters, games, and a wealth of merchandise, asserting Miku’s status as a cultural icon and muse for cosplayers globally.
This film is the first substantial foray into full-length anime for any VOCALOID character.COLORFUL STAGE! derives its narrative from the mobile game Project Sekai: Colorful Stage feat. Hatsune Miku, which debuted in Japan in 2020 and became globally accessible in December 2021. A short anime series titled Petit Seka, consisting of 10 episodes, was also adapted based on the game and made available for free on YouTube.
The feature-length format of COLORFUL STAGE! substantially elevates the project. AnimeNewsNetwork describes the storyline as follows:
The original story follows Ichika Hoshino, who hears a Miku song that she has never heard before at a CD shop and sees a Hatsune Miku whom she had never seen before. Ichika calls out to Miku, who, surprised by the voice, disappears shortly after making eye contact. Miku later appears on Ichika’s smartphone to tell her that she would like to reach others with her songs, but no matter how much she sings, her songs cannot reach them. After seeing Ichika reach others’ hearts with her live street performance, Miku asks for her help.
In the film, Miku is voiced by Saki Fujita, who has previously brought the character to life in various other roles within the franchise.
Miku Comes to North America
With English Subs, Too
The announcement of COLORFUL STAGE! as a theatrical release is monumental, especially for the global Hatsune Miku fanbase. While several Hatsune Miku games have been translated into English (notably Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA), the character has remained largely unreachable for non-Japanese speakers until now. The official English version and theatrical release of COLORFUL STAGE! mark a significant advancement for the VOCALOID community.
Scheduled for release in North American theaters on April 11th, 2025, COLORFUL STAGE! opened in Japan at #2 in the box office, underscoring its potential success. This quick turnaround between international releases is remarkable, particularly for an original film devoid of connections to widely known anime franchises.
The unveiling of the English-subtitled trailer and the associated poster have further fueled excitement among existing fans. If the film succeeds commercially in North America, it could set a precedent for subsequent original anime films to secure timely international releases with native language support. The burgeoning anime market abroad indicates significant profitability, attracting the attention of film studios that wish to capitalize on this trend.COLORFUL STAGE! could lead the charge for an increasing number of anime films to become widely available outside of Japan in a timely fashion.
COLORFUL STAGE! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing will hit theaters across North America on April 11, 2025.
Source: AnimeNewsNetwork
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