The Colors Within

The Colors Within follows Totsuko, a high school student who perceives the emotions of the people around her as colours. One classmate, Kimi, gives off the shade Totsuko values above all others. Although Totsuko does not yet play an instrument, she proposes forming a band with Kimi and with Rui, a quiet music lover she meets at a second-hand bookshop. The three rehearse in an old church on a distant island, and music gradually draws them closer, shaping their friendships and their feelings for one another.

The film is an original anime feature directed by Naoko Yamada, her fifth, arriving after K-ON! The Movie, Tamako Love Story, A Silent Voice: The Movie and Liz and the Blue Bird. Reiko Yoshida wrote the screenplay, and the voice cast includes Sayu Suzukawa as Totsuko, Akari Takaishi as Kimi, Taisei Kido as Rui, Yui Aragaki, Aoi Yuki and Yasuko.

Released in Japan in August 2024, the film runs 101 minutes and is a Japanese production. Its worldwide box office stands at about 2 million USD, a modest figure for a theatrical anime release. On IMDb it holds 7 out of 10 from roughly 1,700 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.8 from a much smaller sample. A critics' rating of 7.6 from 50 reviews places it above both audience scores.