Sing a Bit of Harmony
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Teen emotions run high in AI robot fantasy/musical/anime.
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Sing a Bit of Harmony
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What's the Story?
In SING A BIT OF HARMONY, teen Satomi (voiced by Haruka Fukuhara in the original Japanese and Risa Mei in the English dub) lives with her mother, Mitsuko (Sayaka Ohara, Laila Berzins), an AI scientist at the Hoshima corporationn who works long hours. Satomi is an outcast at school with a reputation as a tattle-tale, though the brilliant, nerdy Toma (Asuka Kudoh, Jordan Dash Cruz) has a crush on her. One day, Mitsuko's latest invention, a lifelike AI robot named Shion (Tao Tsuchiya, Megan Shipman), is field-tested at the school. To succeed, Shion must pass as a student, which becomes difficult when, on her first day, she enthusiastically asks "Are you happy, Satomi?" and breaks into a song from Satomi's favorite movie, Moon Princess. It's not long before Shion's cover is blown, and so, hoping to protect her mother's job, Satomi urges Toma, handsome Gocchan (Kazuyuki Okitsu, Ian Sinclair), Gocchan's girlfriend Aya (Mikako Komatsu, Alexis Tipton), and judo student Thunder (Satoshi Hino, Kamen Casey), to promise to keep the secret. But how long can their ruse last?
Is It Any Good?
A sweet, big-hearted fantasy/musical full of crushes and cool tech, this enjoyable anime moves gorgeously and sounds great, wearing its unflappably positive attitude right on its colorful sleeve. Available in both Japanese (with English subtitles) and in an English-language dub for U.S. release, Sing a Bit of Harmony kicks off with a delightful scene of Satomi waking up and making breakfast with the aid of her AI house (the house bids her to "have a wonderful day" when she walks out the door for school). It feels lightly, optimistically futuristic, with an overall peaceful feel; the robots are here to help. And Shion's introduction to the students -- and her musical number -- is meant to feel awkward and embarrassing, rather than foreboding.
As with the best teen movies, the characters are portrayed as having identifiable flaws. One spends all his time on one hobby, while another one is only "pretty good" at a lot of things. There are tarnished reputations, hurt feelings, quiet longings, misunderstandings, etc., that all feel genuine, and the growing friendships feel genuine, too. Visually, Sing a Bit of Harmony isn't showy, but when one of its polished, sparkling songs kicks in, it goes all the way, including making effective use of a field of rotating solar panels and a judo match. Logically, Shion is able tap into other AI devices, including pianos and sound systems, so she always has musical accompaniment for her songs. The movie's clever climax, and questions about the meaning of "happiness," leave help it leave off on a lovely bittersweet note.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Sing a Bit of Harmony's moments of violence. How did they make you feel? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How is teen romance depicted here? What values are imparted?
Do you think AI is useful or scary? Or some of both? Why?
How does the movie demonstrate teamwork and communication? Why are those important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 23, 2022
- Cast: Haruka Fukuhara , Risa Mei , Tao Tsuchiya , Megan Shipman , Asuka Kudoh , Jordan Dash Cruz
- Director: Yasuhiro Yoshiura
- Studio: Funimation
- Genre: Anime
- Topics: Friendship , High School , Music and Sing-Along , Robots
- Run time: 109 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: August 2, 2023
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