First Hatsune Miku Anime Movie Debuts in the U.S. With Crowd-Pleasing Rotten Tomatoes Score

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In a colorful shift to live-action, the virtual pop sensation known as Miku has graced American theaters for the first time with the premiere of “COLORFUL STAGE! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing” on April 18. While some anime enthusiasts and others had their doubts, the film is receiving positive feedback.

In the movie, teen musician Ichika meets virtual singer Hatsune Miku in Tokyo’s bustling Shibuya district. This unusual duo join forces to help Miku produce more emotionally resonant music and foster deeper relationships, weaving a touching tale about the blend of technology and human creativity. Though the film might not be the most straightforward for those new to the beloved Vocaloid, its audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes suggests it’s been warmly received in America so far.

Hatsune Miku’s Anime Theatrical Debut Proves the Potential for Mass Vocaloid Appeal

At the moment of this writing, “COLORFUL STAGE! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing” lacks a critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating that there hasn’t been a substantial number of reviews yet. However, it appears that the character with teal hair, Hatsune Miku, has struck a chord – possibly with her intended audience and more – as evidenced by the movie’s 95% rating on Popcornmeter.

The storyline revolves around Ichika, a high school musician capable of accessing a peculiar realm known as ‘SEKAI.’ In this place, she and her companions freely express their deepest feelings through music alongside Hatsune Miku. After delivering a live performance, Ichika encounters a new version of Miku that she has never seen before.

In the realm of animation, this PG-rated musical drama is helmed by Hiroyuki Hata, known for works such as Angel Beats!, Shirobako, and Skip and Loafer. The storyline revolves around Miku, who encounters an unforeseen predicament: she loses her distinctive singing talent. This 105-minute feature shares a connection with the mobile rhythm game of the same name, but it also strives to weave a self-contained narrative that newcomers can grasp. As one verified reviewer expressed, “I adored the songs, even brought a Miku light stick and waved it at the movie’s end, eliciting cries of MIKUUUUUUUU!!!”. The film’s screening seems to foster a concert-like ambiance. However, audience feedback on Rotten Tomatoes suggests a trend in terms of accessibility. As another verified viewer noted, “It’s an excellent movie for those familiar with Miku and Sekai, but not so engaging for people unfamiliar with Miku”.

Currently running in cinemas, with Japanese dialogues accompanied by English subtitles, we have “Vibrant Screen! The Film: A Miku Unable to Sing”.

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2025-04-19 17:37