The Case of Hana & Alice (2015)

February 20, 2015 (JP) • Animation, Comedy, Mystery • 98m

Overview

After transferring to Ishinomori Middle School, Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa overhears her classmates discussing a strange rumor. The previous occupant of her seat, a nondescript "Judas," is missing and presumed murdered. Amidst dealing with her mother's undesired meddling in her affairs and warding off her classmates' bullying, the troubled Alice starts to investigate the mystery surrounding Judas' disappearance. The trail of clues leads her to the house of her next-door neighbor, the quirky and reclusive Hana Arai.

Director

Shunji Iwai

Writer

Shunji Iwai

Top Billed

Yu Aoi

Keywords

friendship bullying rotoscoping first love anime philosophical complex wonder playful girls' love (gl) lighthearted cheerful euphoric joyful

Where to watch

Rent

Amazon Video

Buy

Amazon Video

Top Billed Cast

Yu Aoi

Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa (voice)

Anne Suzuki

Hana Arai (voice)

Ryo Katsuji

Koutarou Yuda (voice)

Haru Kuroki

Satomi Ogino (voice)

Tae Kimura

Yuki Tsutsumi (voice)

Sei Hiraizumi

Kenji Kuroyanagi (voice)

Shoko Aida

Kayo Arisugawa (voice)

Ranran Suzuki

Mutsumi Mutsu (voice)

Tomohiro Kaku

Teacher Asanaga (voice)

Midoriko Kimura

Tomomi Arai (voice)

Arisa Doi

(voice)

Eiko

(voice)

Aki Hamanaka

(voice)

Hiromichi Haradav

(voice)

Kiri Harada

(voice)

Hayashi Yudai

(voice)

Nobuyoshi Hisamatsu

(voice)

Manabu Hosoi

(voice)

Chihiro Imai

(voice)

Kenta Imanishi

(voice)

Shusaku Ishida

(voice)

Masato Ishii

(voice)

Akio Joe

(voice)

Yuuya Andou

(voice)

Reiko Kato

(voice)

Akihiro Kawai

(voice)

LYDE

(voice)

Ken Maeda

(voice)

Kumiko Maemura

(voice)

Rika Makino

(voice)

Kahoru Miyajima

(voice)

Ikue Mori

(voice)

Takuya Mori

(voice)

Noriyuki Ohashi

(voice)

Eri Okamuro

(voice)

Manami Ozaki

(voice)

Akari Ozawa

(voice)

Risaki

(voice)

Mizuho Sakata

(voice)

Yuki Shimizu

(voice)

Shin'ichi Susa

(voice)

Tatsuya Tai

(voice)

Tsunena Taiji

(voice)

Ai Takabe

(voice)

Hiroyuki Tani

(voice)

Rika Yamaguchi

(voice)

Shifumi Yamaguchi

(voice)

Keiichi Yamazaki

(voice)

Akiko Yasu

(voice)

Crew

Shunji Iwai

Editor

Shunji Iwai

Director

Shunji Iwai

Writer

Akira Mizuno

Producer

Daisuke Kadoya

Executive Producer

Nozomu Takahashi

Executive Producer

Shunji Iwai

Producer

Yoko Kuno

Animation Director

Naoki Iwasa

Producer

Hiroshi Takiguchi

Art Direction

Tomohiko Ishii

Producer

Shunji Iwai

Original Music Composer

Shunji Iwai

Original Story

Seiji Okuda

Producer

Yumiko Katayama

Color Designer

Yoko Kuno

Rotoscoping Artist

Chigi Kanbe

Director of Photography

Mateusz Urbanowicz

Background Designer

Yuhei Sakuragi

CGI Supervisor

水野昌

Producer

Nagisa Kodama

First Assistant Director

Collection

Hana and Alice Collection

Hana & Alice

The Case of Hana & Alice

Reviews

Reno

⭐ 7/10

May 26, 2017

**The legend of Yuda.**

It is a prequel to the 2004 film 'Hana and Alice' from the same writer, director. So I had to watch that before coming to this one and I found both the films were pretty good. Usually to watch a sequel, you have to be familiar with the original. But for a prequel, it's not necessary as the story wise it would be the original, despite not the first to release in the series or franchise. Either way watching both the films is good for the better understanding, and chronological order is the best way to go for.

The formats are different, as well as the time gap between the two films. After all it was not a bad decision. This anime was like any other neat and cute anime you had seen. Yeah, I liked the smooth animation. The sketches were not very detailed, yet very detail in the motion presentation. If you are an anime fan, it will be a treat. I'm not saying it is the best anime ever, but surely a little gem and not be missed by the fans of the 2004 film.

I don't know whether the final scene of this film and the opening of the other film are same (because of the different mood), but to me it looked like that way. This film is to reveal how Hana and Alice first met and become close friends. But it all begins with the Alice's new school's legend, the death of Yuda. Destined to meet Hana who was a classmate of Yuda, is now her neighbour. So their adventure begins to find new details about Yuda's life, but ends up with misadventures.

> ❝I won't forget that pain as long as I live.❞

The perfect characters, I mean two young teen girls. Also a perfect storyline, which is about finding the truth behind a mystery. But it's not thrillerised as everything about the film suggest, including the title. Very much dramatised with lots of fun filled often tense moments. The first act was good, but it was the remaining film that keeps getting better till the final scene. I liked the second half of the film, especially the quest taken by Hana and Alice was simple yet entertaining.

There are some off the track adventures, like for a brief moment an old man enters the narration, but that added an extra flavour to take us in a new direction. Soon it reinstates to its original path and that's where the ultimate friendship blooms between two title characters. It's always about a boy between them. Their friendship was tested in the other film over a boy, but here joining hands to solve the mystery surrounding a boy's death. Like the first film, the ballet had its part, though not a main draw, except being a part of one of the main characters.

The original cast from the 2004 film rendered their voices for the respective two lead roles. So except watching it in the anime version, the appeal is almost the same. As per some sources, a manga series is following after this. But I hope the story continues with the third film, either in live-action or in anime. This is an under- noticed anime, but well appreciated. I really surprised of its quality and theme. For me, it's definitely slightly ahead of the first film and this my review briefs why. So surely worth a watch and I recommend it.

_7/10_

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The Case of Hana & Alice (2015)

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Collection

Hana and Alice Collection

Hana & Alice

The Case of Hana & Alice

Reviews

Reno

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