Bubble (Japanese: バブル, Hepburn: Baburu) is a 2022 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic film produced by Wit Studio. It is directed by Tetsurō Araki and written by Gen Urobuchi, and features character designs by Takeshi Obata and music composed by Hiroyuki Sawano.
On 7 December 2021 (Tuesday), Warner Bros. Japan opened an official website for an original anime movie titled Bubble revealing the main staff, cast, a teaser visual (pictured), and a trailer. The movie premiered worldwide on Netflix on April 28, and in Japanese theaters on May 13.
A manga adaptation of the film by Erubo Hijihara was serialized in Shonen Jump+ from April 22 to May 23, 2022.
Synopsis[]
In a Tokyo where gravity has broken, a boy and a girl are drawn to each other...
The story is set in Tokyo, after bubbles that broke the laws of gravity rained down upon the world. Cut off from the outside world, Tokyo has become a playground for a group of young people who have lost their families, acting as a battlefield for parkour team battles as they leap from building to building.
Hibiki, a young ace known for his dangerous play style, makes a reckless move one day and plummets into the gravity-bending sea. His life is saved by Uta, a girl with mysterious powers. The pair then hear a unique sound audible only to them.
Why did Uta appear before Hibiki? Their encounter leads to a revelation that will change the world. (Source: Netflix)
Actor Jun Shison (Gokushufudou live-action) is starring as Hibiki. Other voice actors joining the cast includes Mamoru Miyano (Bungou Stray Dogs), Yuuki Kaji (Boku no Hero Academia), and Tasuku Hatanaka (SK∞).
Plot[]
In the near future, the world is overcome by bubbles that break the laws of reality. An explosion at Tokyo Tower concentrates all the bubbles in Tokyo, but makes the city uninhabitable. Various young folk defy the restrictions, and live there anyway, using parkour tournaments as a means to barter and trade supplies. In one parkour team, the Blue Blazes, 18 year old Hibiki, is an exceptional parkour talent, but he avoids others due to a hearing ultrasensitivity. Tokyo Tower continues to be an impossible location to get to because of gravity anomalies.
One day, Hibiki attempts to climb the tower because he hears a woman's song, and believes he sees a boy there. He almost makes it, but ends up falling into the ocean, where his final exhale combines with some of the bubbles to make a young girl. She is clearly new to being a human, but learns quickly from others. Hibiki names her "Uta" ("Song") because she knows the song he hears in his head. Uta and Hibiki train parkour together, beating a team called the Morticians / Undertakers, however, in one final catch, when Uta touches Hibiki, her arm fades away into bubbles. Bubble activity starts up again, so the Tokyo residents need to flee. Uta goes to Tokyo Tower to stop it. Hibiki goes to save her.
In the final scene they save each other, but Uta fades into bubbles as in the original fairy tale from Hans Christian Andersen: "The Little Mermaid." In her final breath, she tells Hibiki that he made it worth it for her to be human. With the bubbles gone, the citizens of Tokyo return and start to rebuild. The parkour teams continue their lives too. Whether real or imagined, in the end credits Hibiki is still continuing to do parkour and there is a bubble following him which could imply it is Uta.
Voice Cast[]
| Character | Japanese voice | English voice |
|---|---|---|
| Hibiki | Jun Shison | Zach Aguilar |
| Hibiki (young) | Jeannie Tirado | |
| Uta | Riria | Emi Lo |
| Makoto | Alice Hirose | Erica Lindbeck |
| Shin | Mamoru Miyano | Keith Silverstein |
| Kai | Yuki Kaji | Robbie Daymond |
| Usagi | Sayaka Senbongi | Laura Stahl |
| Isozaki | Ryota Osaka | Landon McDonald |
| Osawa | Wataru Hatano | Jalen K. Cassell |
| Denki Ninja | Tasuku Hatanaka | Kyle McCarley |
| Undertaker Leader | Marina Inoue | Cristina Vee |
| Kantō Mad Lobster | Shin-ichiro Miki | Chris Jai Alex |
Staff[]
- Director: Tetsurou Araki (Shingeki no Kyojin, Koutetsujou no Kabaneri)
- Script: Gen Urobuchi (Psycho-Pass, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica)
- Original Character Design: Takeshi Obata (Death Note, Bakuman.)
- Music: Hiroyuki Sawano (86, Promare)
- Studio: Wit Studio
Trailers[]
