Photo/Illutration Director Yuhei Sakuragi (Photo by Atsushi Ohara)

Director Yuhei Sakuragi is a big fan of computer-generated imagery, especially for sci-fi themed anime like his previous outing, “The Relative Worlds.”

Yet, he opted for CGI to make “Give It All,” a drama about five senior high school girls who are members of a boat club.

The movie is based on a novel by Yoshiko Shikimura that generated an acclaimed live-action feature film adaptation in 1998.

“Literary stories are more difficult to pull off because they can be told only through the performances of the actors,” Sakuragi said. “And there’s no excuse for me to say that using flashy graphics works just as well.”

So, he focused on capturing the banter among the characters.

“I wanted to draw the audience into the story through realistic conversations that high school girls were having in their own upbeat way,” he said.

The protagonist never gets enthusiastic until she discovers a passion for rowing when the beautiful evening ocean view during practice leaves her feeling exhilarated after doing her best.

The gestures and faces of the girls vividly reflect their personalities and wavering emotions.

“I used motion capture technology because CG anime is not really suitable to show everyday lives, but I made sure the actors expressed the characters’ personalities through gestures,” the director said.

Audiences cannot help but be charmed by the emotionally charged scenes, such as when the characters finish practicing and competing. The director uses the sunset to accentuate the ambience.

“I have always liked using the backlight effect, so I chose the sunset and the evening glow and incorporated them into the background because the ocean is its most beautiful when it is backlit,” Sakuragi said.

“Give It All” is currently showing nationwide.

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