Shirobako Movie

Synopsis

Continues the story of Shirobako

In "Shirobako," five close friends—Aoi Miyamori, Ema Yasuhara, Midori Imai, Shizuka Sakaki, and Misa Toudou—discover their shared love for anime during their high school days at Kaminoyama High School. Together, they form an animation club and produce their first amateur anime, which they showcase at the school's cultural festival. Inspired by their initial success, they vow to work in the anime industry and dream of collaborating on a major series one day. Two and a half years later, Aoi and Ema are employed at the prestigious Musashino Animation studio. Meanwhile, the other friends face challenges in pursuing their career goals. Shizuka finds it difficult to gain recognition as a voice actress, Misa settles for a steady but unsatisfying position designing 3D models for an automobile company, and Midori pursues her ambition to be a story writer through her university studies. Through their various experiences, these young women learn that achieving their dreams requires resilience and a touch of unconventional thinking.

In this installment

In the four years since Daisan Hikou Shoujotai was completed, Musashino Animation—commonly called "Musani"—has fallen into serious trouble. A failed ambitious project caused financial hardship, leading many staff members to leave. As a result, Musani has produced no major works and has slowly lost its standing. Though her confidence wavers, producer Aoi Miyamori remains determined to fight this decline. Her chance arrives with SIVA, an original feature film that must be finished in just ten months. Meanwhile, Aoi’s friends face their own career difficulties: Ema Yasuhara, an animation supervisor, struggles with an overwhelming workload; Shizuka Sakaki, a reporter and voice actress, feels discouraged by the few anime roles available; Midori Imai, a screenwriter, hits a creative block after an earlier setback; and Misa Toudou, a 3D artist, worries that her intense passion might slow her career growth. Despite the industry’s uncertainties and obstacles, these five women are determined to overcome the difficult path ahead—a journey that may ultimately help them reach their shared dream.

Background

Shirobako Movie premiered in North American theaters on August 10, 2021. The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD as Shirobako The Movie by Shout! Factory and Eleven Arts on December 7, 2021.