Distributor GKIDS brings the latest movie of Director Masaaki Yuasa and his studio Science Saru “Lu Over The Wall” to North American audiences for a limited time in May.

In the coastal town of Hinashi, middle schooler Kai Ashimoto lives a quiet solitary life, or at least tries to do so. Both he and his father try to fit in the close-knit village of fishermen after being in the city, but both struggle. The student’s hidden talent is producing rhythmic music and to his surprise, two of his classmates discover his video soon after he uploaded it. They approach him with the offer of joining their band. Reluctantly he goes to the abandoned merfolk park to practice with them, only to discover a mysterious vocalist. Later that night he meets Lu, a young mermaid who has the abilities to manipulate water and turn her tail into legs when dancing. Their meeting brings both joy and a bit of terror to the boy for his grandfather constantly tells him to beware the creature. While bring with Lu seem fun and harmless, trouble brews beyond the shore. Kai must prepare himself for the incoming waves that will overflow once the townspeople learn the truth about the ancient myth.

“Lu Over The Wall” is a wild experience both of sound and sight. The animation team composes their scenes with the combination of detailed stationary backgrounds and moving subjects with flat bright coloring. According to an interview with two of their animators, they used ADOBE Flash to create the scenes, taking advantage of the ability to easily manipulate and reproduce visuals. It definitely would be a good thing to have with a movie filled with fluid motion and a lot of action. The music is also a key part of the film, bringing out unique tones of the main cast. It mainly plays with rock and electronic tunes, eventually blending the two styles. Of course with Director Yuasa, there will be a level of exaggeration. Several character gestures stretches and expand very close to classic cartoons of the mid to late 1900’s. While it pushes the limits compared to current anime series in form and structure, it knows when to reel it back in to match the ebb and flow of its story. It is one for all ages about life and dealing with obstacles. Sometimes it takes a special someone to show your potential and find the perfect waves to ride in reality’s rough sea.

Check out GKIDS’s website for more information including a list of theaters participating in the limited run of “Lu Over The Wall”. Also visit the film’s original site for special extras and news including Japanese interviews of the staff.