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Japanese anime series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sonny Boy is an original Japanese anime television series animated by Madhouse and written and directed by Shingo Natsume. The story follows a group of middle school students who are suddenly transported to an alternative dimension, with some of them gaining new powers. In their quest to find their way home, they unravel the mysteries of this new world, and conflicts between them arise. The series aired from July to October 2021.
Sonny Boy | |
![]() Key visual of the series | |
Genre | |
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Created by | Shingo Natsume |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Shingo Natsume |
Produced by |
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Written by | Shingo Natsume |
Music by | Various[lower-alpha 1] |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by | Crunchyroll |
Original network | Tokyo MX, KBS, SUN, BS Asahi, RAB |
Original run | July 16, 2021 – October 1, 2021 |
Episodes | 12 |
Sonny Boy utilizes non-traditional storytelling, occasionally skipping over major events and instead focusing on various characters' reactions to those events. While fantasy elements are present, the series primarily uses its setting to explore psychological themes such as identity, social expectation, freedom, and loneliness.[4] The series has been featured in several lists of best anime of 2021, and has been praised for the quality of its production and animation and the originality of its visuals.
Midway through a seemingly endless day of summer vacation, third-year middle school student Nagara and his class, along with transfer student Nozomi and the aloof and mysterious Mizuho, are suddenly transported to an alternate dimension. The group calls the new dimension "This World", and finds it has its own set of rules and physics. Over time, while trying to get back home, they realize that they have individual supernatural abilities, but also find it difficult to navigate their own interpersonal relationships.
The class later splits into two groups due to internal conflicts. As both the groups continue journeying to find their way back home, they discover many other students who have spent thousands of years in others "This Worlds".
The series was animated by Madhouse and written and directed by Shingo Natsume, with original character designs provided by Hisashi Eguchi and Norifumi Kugai adapting the designs for animation.[3] Producer Motoki Mukaichi had met with Natsume previously while working on Space Dandy, and he decided to offer Natsume the opportunity to produce an original series about anything he liked, making only minimal suggestions, such as the constant use of cliffhangers, thus giving him a great deal of creative freedom for the creation of Sonny Boy and the possibility to choose people for his team. The art director Mari Fujino decided to have traditionally painted backgrounds and settings, taking inspiration from painters like Henri Rousseau, and making constant use of complementary colors that, in her view, matched Natsume's writing.[11] Natsume choose Eguchi as the character designer for Sonny Boy because he was a long-time fan of his work, and he paid homage to Eguchi in the series with a reference to his manga Stop!! Hibari-kun!, which can be seen being read by the character Mizuho at one point.[4][11]
Natsume wrote the scripts for all the episodes, also making the storyboards for half of all the episodes.[11] He says that he "tried to cram everything [he] wanted to express without holding back", taking advantage of the freedom he was giving in the creation of the show.[4] Notably, the series has very little use of monologues, which might seem unusual for an introspective story where their characters explore their emotions. This is intentional, as Natsume explains in an interview:
During the initial stage, I made a rule for myself that I wouldn't include anyone doing monologues. I've felt that lately, characters tend to say anything at all that's on their mind, or what they're going to do next, through monologues, and I don't think that's very entertaining to watch. Since this was going to be my own original series, I wanted to do away with that, so I made that rule for myself. Now, by doing away with the monologues, it's inevitable that the viewer can only tell what a character is going through emotionally by watching how they act. And there's a kind of... How can I say this? I ended up creating a sort of internal grammar, you might call it, a visual grammar, as a result of that.[12]
Natsume decided to have Shinichirō Watanabe as a musical advisor for the series. Watanabe introduced artists and bands that he considered had an appropriate style for the anime, but he explains that Natsume was the one to decide which ones to include in the soundtrack.[6] Ging Nang Boyz performed the series' theme song "Boy Meets Girl" (少年少女, Shōnen Shōjo, lit. 'Boy Girl'),[3] with Sunset Rollercoaster, VIDEOTAPEMUSIC, The Natsuyasumi Band, Ogawa & Tokoro, Mid-Air Thief, Kaneyorimasaru, toe and Conisch providing additional original songs created exclusively for the anime.[6]
The Sonny Boy Soundtrack was released on September 8, 2021.[13][14] Shinichirō Watanabe served as the musical advisor.[6]
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Boy Meets Girl (少年少女, Shōnen Shōjo, lit. 'Boy Girl')" (TV version) | Kazunobu Mineta | Mineta | Ging Nang Boyz | 1:34 |
2. | "Broken Windows" | Kuo-Hung Tseng, Jewell Fortenberry | Sunset Rollercoaster | 1:42 | |
3. | "Seagull" | Tseng, Jewell Fortenberry | Sunset Rollercoaster | 2:33 | |
4. | "Summer Storm" | Videotapemusic | Videotapemusic | 3:10 | |
5. | "Tune from diamond" | MC.sirafu | The Natsuyasumi Band | 4:36 | |
6. | "Yozuri (夜釣り, lit. 'Night Angling')" | mitsume | mitsume | 3:13 | |
7. | "Let There Be Light Again" | Tseng | Tseng | Sunset Rollercoaster | 3:47 |
8. | "Beacon" | Ogawa & Tokoro | Ogawa & Tokoro | 2:50 | |
9. | "Yamabiko’s Theme" | Mid-Air Thief | Mid-Air Thief | 10:35 | |
10. | "Kodama’s Theme" | Mid-Air Thief | Mid-Air Thief | 3:20 | |
11. | "Soft Oversight" | Ogawa & Tokoro | Ogawa & Tokoro | 1:44 | |
12. | "Sō to Seiji (ソウとセイジ, lit. 'Sō and Seiji')" | mitsume | 4:10 | ||
13. | "Kyō no Uta (今日の歌, lit. 'Song of Today')" | Mina Chitose | Chitose | kaneyorimasaru | 3:56 |
14. | "Lightship" | Risa Nakagawa | Nakagawa | The Natsuyasumi Band | 5:15 |
15. | "Spear (スペア, Supea)" | Moto Kawabe | mitsume | mitsume | 4:57 |
16. | "Sonny Boy Rhapsody (サニーボーイ・ラプソディ, Sanī Bōi・Rapusodi)" | toe | toe | toe | 4:05 |
17. | "Lune" | Conisch | Conisch | 1:45 | |
18. | "Jugement" | Conisch | Conisch | 1:39 | |
19. | "Tour" | Conisch | Conisch | 3:18 | |
20. | "Soleil" | Conisch | Conisch | 2:36 | |
21. | "Tabidachi no Hi ni (旅立ちの日に, lit. 'Day of the Departure')" | Hiromi Sakamoto | Conisch | 4:54 | |
Total length: | 75:39 |
Sonny Boy has been noted for its metaphorical and symbolical use of supernatural elements for social commentary,[2] and as catalysts for conflicts between the characters,[4] dealing with topics such as alienation, loneliness, social expectations, freedom and identity.[2][4][1][15] Director Shingo Natsume declared in an interview that one of his main objectives was to show the friction between maintaining order and individual freedom, saying "[t]he story is inspired by the illogicalities that can sprout through rules".[4] He furthers explains the symbolism used in the series, and how these elements reflect the psychology and growth of the protagonists. He considers Nagara to mirror his feelings during his teenage years, reflecting how he was always constrained back then.[4] Collider's David Lynn comments how the show "addresses themes of capitalist exploitation, social isolation, and the power of community", constantly presenting many different philosophical topics, and "not so much answering any questions as much as asking and then pondering on them"[15]
In his honors thesis, Inoue (2023) analyzes two anime with multiverse settings, The Tatami Galaxy and Sonny Boy, comparing them and commenting how they explore the experiences of Japanese adolescents growing up in their country's modern society. He states that Sonny Boy reflects people's desire for maintaining order, specially in times of crisis. In the first episode, the leaders of the school student council send a "Group Talk" invitation to the rest of students, asking them to choose a leader to follow, and then assigning tasks for everyone with the purpose of keeping order, which echoes the rigid structure of Japanese schooling system, where the students are expected to follow rules first and foremost without causing any trouble nor deviating from the norm.[16]: 11–13 He also comments on the growth of protagonist Nagara throughout the series, deeming it the main message of the show: he starts as an apathetic individual with a very nihilistic outlook of life, but changes to a more optimistic attitude later on due to his interactions with Nozomi, who has a more positive disposition from the start, which is reflected symbolically in her superpower, a “compass” that allows her to “see the way out” of the darkness surrounding the school in order to return home.[16]: 7–9
The anime television series was announced on April 28, 2021. While the first episode was given an early premiere on June 19, 2021,[17] the series officially aired from July 16 to October 1, 2021, on Tokyo MX and other channels.[7][lower-alpha 2]
The series was licensed outside of Asia by Funimation.[19] On September 14, 2021, Funimation announced the series would receive an English dub, which premiered on September 16.[8] Following Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll, the series was moved to Crunchyroll.[20] Medialink licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia and streamed it in their YouTube channel.[21]
On December 16, 2022, a Blu-ray box was announced, which includes scenes from the last episodes that were not used, together with some previews of the anime and recordings of the songs.[22][23]
No. | Title [24][lower-alpha 3] | Directed by [24] | Written by [24] | Storyboarded by [24] | Original air date [26][lower-alpha 2] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Island at the Far End of Summer" Transliteration: "Natsu no Hate no Shima" (Japanese: 夏の果ての島) | Shingo Natsume | Shingo Natsume | Shingo Natsume | July 16, 2021[lower-alpha 4] |
2 | "Aliens!" Transliteration: "Eirianzu" (Japanese: エイリアンズ) | Tomoya Kitagawa | Shingo Natsume | Shingo Natsume | July 23, 2021 |
3 | "The Cat Who Wore Sandals" Transliteration: "Geta o Haita Neko" (Japanese: 下駄を履いたネコ) | Keiichirō Saitō | Shingo Natsume | Keiichirō Saitō | July 30, 2021 |
4 | "The Great Monkey Baseball" Transliteration: "Idainaru Monkī Bēsubōru" (Japanese: 偉大なるモンキー・ベースボール) | Imu Gahi | Shingo Natsume | Yoshiaki Kawajiri | August 6, 2021 |
5 | "Leaping Classrooms" Transliteration: "Tobu Kyōshitsu" (Japanese: 跳ぶ教室) | Rei Ishikura | Shingo Natsume | Shingo Natsume | August 13, 2021 |
6 | "The Long Goodbye" Transliteration: "Nagai Sayonara" (Japanese: 長いさよなら) | Tomoya Kitagawa | Shingo Natsume | Shingo Natsume | August 20, 2021 |
7 | "Road Book" Transliteration: "Rōdo Bukku" (Japanese: ロード・ブック) | Kento Matsui | Shingo Natsume | Yoshiaki Kawajiri | August 27, 2021 |
8 | "Laughing Dog" Transliteration: "Warai Inu" (Japanese: 笑い犬) | Keiichirō Saitō | Shingo Natsume | Keiichirō Saitō | September 3, 2021 |
9 | "This Salmon Chazuke Is Missing Its Salmon Nya" Transliteration: "Kono Sake Chazuke, Sake Wasureteru Nya" (Japanese: この鮭茶漬け、鮭忘れてるニャ) | Atsushi Kashiwa | Shingo Natsume | Keisuke Kojima | September 10, 2021 |
10 | "Summer and the Demon" Transliteration: "Natsu to Shura" (Japanese: 夏と修羅) | Tomoya Kitagawa Kento Matsui | Shingo Natsume | Shingo Natsume | September 17, 2021 |
11 | "The Young Man and the Sea" Transliteration: "Shōnen to Umi" (Japanese: 少年と海) | Nichika Ōno | Shingo Natsume | Norifumi Kugai | September 24, 2021 |
12 | "Two Years' Vacation" Transliteration: "Ni Nenkan no Kyūka" (Japanese: 二年間の休暇) | Shingo Natsume | Shingo Natsume | Shingo Natsume | October 1, 2021 |
Sonny Boy has received favorable reviews, having been called one of the best anime of its season[28][29] and of its year,[15][30][31] and it has been noted as particularly original within the isekai genre.[32][2][1] CBR's Maria Remizova considers the series to be the best modern anime overlooked by the audiences, writing that it "encapsulates the allure of anime's more bizarre and experimental side, utilizing unconventional storytelling and visual techniques to craft a perfect mystery narrative", and further explaining that, while confusing at first, the story becomes very rewarding as it develops.[33] Evan D. Mullicane from Screen Rant proposes that Sonny Boy is a deconstruction of the main theme of isekai, writing that "Far from the fun getaway of many isekai anime, Sonny Boy's This World keeps its residents as captives and prevents them from growing." thus making a critique of the escapism that is ever-present in the genre.[2] In Den of Geek, Vernieda Vergara comments on the non-standard storytelling of the anime, remarking how the series does not offer clear-cut answers to all the mysteries that the characters encounter, and even though that might put some people off, it offers "something fresh and unique", that stands in contrast with the more straightforward mainstream blockbuster animes that came out the same year.[5] Collider's David Lynn comments that although some initial parallels to Lord of the Flies can be drawn, the series "expands far beyond simple comparisons to its inspirations" addressing many different social and philosophical topics, and "ultimately challenging its characters to consider the very purpose of life". Lynn also notes that while the non-traditional narrative might be a major turn off for some, the series still offers compelling stories without falling into "despondent nihilism".[15]
Sonny Boy has been praised for its original production, featuring a very distinctive style of animation and surreal visual elements.[2][34] Lynn commends how the animation work helps to accentuate the otherworldly settings of the series, calling the show "a poster child for productions that can only be done justice in animation".[15] Mullicane called it "one of the most gorgeous-looking anime of the past few years", commending the way that the animation helps to relate a "deeply personal story".[2] Ayaan Shams Siddiquee from The Daily Star comments on its "[b]reath-taking visuals, art, and animation", which he finds "more realistic and surreal than most modern anime", also complimenting the use of its "eccentric soundtrack" interspersed within the silence.[34]
Sonny Boy received the Excellence Award in the animation category at the 25th Japan Media Arts Festival.[35] The series was nominated in two categories in the 2022 Crunchyroll Anime Awards Anime of the Year and Director of the Year.[36] The series was also nominated for the Anime Trending Awards in four categories "Best in Original Screenplay", "Best in Sceneries and Visuals", "Mystery or Psychological Anime of the Year" and "SciFi or Mecha Anime of the Year".[37][38]