Overview
A young musician's journey begins with a single note, igniting a passion for jazz that will change his life forever.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- energetic
- uplifting
- sincere
- inspiring movie night
- music focused viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film's emotionally powerful music sequences, animation, and sincere portrayal of jazz ambition, with strong audience reception reinforcing its appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dai immediately commits to practicing saxophone and pursues jazz performance as a defining life ambition.
Dai's arrival in Tokyo brings him into a developing musical relationship with pianist Yukinori Sawabe and drummer Shunji Tamada, while also straining his friendship with Tamada.
The animated format foregrounds saxophone performance and the physical intensity of playing as a visual spectacle.
Dai travels from Sendai to Tokyo seeking a path toward world-class jazz performance and encounters the city's live-music scene.
Films like Blue Giant, and why
Whisper of the Heart
animated coming of age story centered on artistic ambition, friendship, and the pursuit of excellence
Sing Street
emotionally driven music drama about young performers finding identity through collaborative artistry
Nodame Cantabile: The Movie I
Japanese animated drama combining youthful aspiration, intense practice, and expressive musical performance
The Commitments
ensemble music film about friendship, creative discipline, and the exhilaration of live performance
Movie Details
- Director
- Yuzuru Tachikawa
- Release Date
- 2023-02-17
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (103)
Cast
- Yuki Yamada
- Shotaro Mamiya
- Amane Okayama
- Yusuke Kondoh
- Mirei Suda
- Kenji Nomura
- Hiroki Touchi
- Yutaka Aoyama
- Masayuki Kato
- Sayaka Kinoshita
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Blue Giant about?
- A driven young saxophonist builds a jazz trio in Tokyo, discovering that artistic greatness depends on friendship as much as individual ambition.
- What is Blue Giant like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Blue Giant as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Blue Giant violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Blue Giant.
- What did critics think of Blue Giant?
- Critics broadly praise the film's emotionally powerful music sequences, animation, and sincere portrayal of jazz ambition, with strong audience reception reinforcing its appeal.
- Which films are like Blue Giant?
- Films with a similar feel include Whisper of the Heart, Sing Street, Nodame Cantabile: The Movie I, and The Commitments.
- How long is Blue Giant?
- Blue Giant runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Blue Giant?
- In United States, Blue Giant streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
