#GKIDS Acquires North American Rights to Naoko Yamada’s A Silent Voice & Liz and the Blue Bird

GKIDS announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights for two of acclaimed director Naoko Yamada’s films: A Silent Voice and Liz and the Blue Bird. 

A Silent Voice will also return to theaters nationwide on December 15, 2024 and December 16, 2024, with tickets now on sale. Both an English dub and Japanese-subtitled trailers were released on GKIDS’ YouTube channel. 

The deal for A Silent Voice was negotiated between GKIDS and ABC Animation, and the deal for Liz and the Blue Bird was negotiated between GKIDS and Pony Canyon. Both films were previously licensed and released by Eleven Arts. 

The acquisition comes after GKIDS’ July announcement at Anime Expo that it had acquired the rights to Naoko Yamada’s short film, The Garden of Remembrance. The distributor was recently purchased by Japanese entertainment company Toho and made a subsidiary under Toho International.   

Besides A Silent Voice and Liz and the Blue Bird, which were released in 2016 and 2018 respectively, Yamada previously directed the TV anime series K-On!, Tamako Love Story, and The Heike Story. Her latest anime film, The Colors Within, was released this past August and will screen in North American theaters on January 24, 2025. 

GKIDS describes the main synopsis of A Silent Voice as: 

After transferring into a new school, a deaf girl, Shoko Nishimiya, is bullied by the popular Shoya Ishida. As Shoya continues to bully Shoko, the class turns its back on him. Shoko transfers and Shoya grows up as an outcast. Alone and depressed, the regretful Shoya finds Shoko to make amends. “A Silent Voice” is a moving coming-of-age drama that depicts the struggles of adolescence through its memorable characters and beautiful animation. 

Meanwhile, Liz and the Blue Bird is described by GKIDS as: 

Students and best friends Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki prepare to play a complex musical duet, “Liz and the Blue Bird”, for oboe and flute.

Though they became teammates in their middle school brass band and have played beautifully together ever since, Mizore and Nozomi find that with graduation from high school looming and the duet proving difficult, their friendship begins to buckle under the pressure. Interspersed with the story is the fantasy tale of Liz, drawn like a storybook, contrasting with the crisp realism of the school. These two distinct styles weave with stirring music to tell a touching coming-of-age story.

Source: press release