Need an excuse to attend your local cinema? Perhaps this animated feature film is exactly what you need. Winner of Best Animation Feature Film at the 2021 New York Animation Film Awards, Sing a Bit of Harmony is now being screened in select cinemas across Australia and New Zealand. Screenings are now being offered with both the show’s original Japanese audio, in addition to a newly commissioned English dub.
Sing a Bit of Harmony tells the story of the beautiful and mysterious Shion (Tao Tsuchiya) who transfers to Keibu High School where she quickly becomes popular for her open-hearted personality and exceptional athletic talent… but she turns out to be an AI (artificial intelligence) in the testing phase! Shion’s goal is to bring chronic loner Satomi (Haruka Fukuhara) “happiness.” But her strategy is something no human would expect: she serenades Satomi in the middle of the classroom. After finding out that Shion is an AI, Satomi and her childhood friend, engineering geek Toma (Asuka Kudo), steadily warm up to the new student. Along with the popular and attractive Gotchan (Kazuyuki Okitsu), the strong-willed Aya (Mikako Komatsu), and judo club member “Thunder” (Satoshi Hino), they become more and more moved by Shion’s singing voice and earnestness even as her antics bewilder them. But what Shion does for Satomi’s sake ends up involving them all in some serious pandemonium… Get ready for the heartwarming story of a not quite market-ready AI and her classmates!
Featuring animation by J.C. Staff, Sing a Bit of Harmony features the talents of director Yasuhiro Yoshiura, and music by Ryou Takahashi. The production was co-produced by Funimation, who have also begun widespread cinematic screenings across North America as of this week. Australian anime publisher Madman Entertainment are handling distribution and management in Australia and New Zealand.
As with most anime screenings from Madman Entertainment, only select cinemas across Australia and New Zealand will be hosting Sing a Bit of Harmony. Scroll down for a full list, and see if your local cinema made the cut:
Australia
| State | Cinemas |
|---|---|
| ACT | Dendy Canberra, Hoyts Belconnen |
| NSW | Event Burwood, Event Campbelltown, Event George Street, Event Liverpool, Event Macquarie, Event Parramatta, Hoyts Chatswood Mandarin |
| NT | Event Casuarina |
| QLD | Dendy Coorparoo, Elizabeth Picture Theatre, Event Brisbane Myer Centre, Event Cairns Central, Event Cinemas Australia Fair – Southport, Event Garden City Mt Gravatt, Event Indooroopilly, Event Pacific Fair, Event Robina, Event Toowoomba Grand Central, Event Townsville Central, Hoyts Sunnybank |
| SA | Event Marion, Hoyts Tea Tree Plaza |
| TAS | Village Hobart |
| VIC | Hoyts Chadstone, Village Century City, Village Fountain Gate, Village Geelong, Village M-City Monash Clayton, Village Morwell |
| WA | ACE Midland, Ace Rockingham, Event Innaloo, Event Morley, Hoyts Carousel |
New Zealand
| Region | Cinemas |
|---|---|
| Auckland | Academy Cinema Auckland, Event Cinemas Albany, Event Cinemas Manukau, Event Cinemas Queen St, Event Cinemas St. Lukes, Event Cinemas Westgate, Hoyts Botany Downs, Hoyts Cinemas Wairau Park, Hoyts Sylvia Park |
| Christchurch | Hoyts Riccarton |
| Dunedin | Rialto Cinemas Dunedin |
| Hamilton | Hoyts Metro |
| Tauranga | Event Cinemas Tauranga Crossing |
| Wellington | Event Cinemas The Embassy |
| Other | Event Cinemas Palmerston North |
For direct links to make cinema bookings, visit the official Madman Films website for Sing a Bit of Harmony. Of course, sessions are subject to change based on the latest COVID-19 requirements.
