14-Year Old Middle School Student Wins Audition to Sing Theme Song of “Deemo” Anime Film

Music company Pony Canyon has announced that a 14-year old middle school student named Hinano Takashima has won their DEEMO THE MOVIE – Utahime Audition Final round of contests. She will thus be singing the theme song to the anime film adaptation of popular rhythm game Deemo. Takashima bested five other contestants in the final round of auditions, which saw over 1,400 auditionees all over the world.

Takashima was picked by a panel of judges composed of renowned music figures in Japan, led by (THE) Yuki Kajiura, composer of the music to Fate/Zero and Puella Magi Madoka Magica, among many others. Kajiura will also be composing the movie’s music. The other judges were music producer Yasunori Mori, Pony Canyon producers Toshihide Nishinaka and Mitsuyasu Yanagita, and Anime Expo senior director Azusa Matsuda.

It was announced during Rayark Games’ panel at the Anime NYC last 2019 that Deemo will be receiving an anime film adaptation. The anime film will be produced by Signal.MD and Production I.G., with Junichi Fujisaku as executive director, Shuhei Matsushita as director, and Yoshihiro Himane as assistant director. Script will be written by executive director Fujisaku along with Bun’o Fujisawa. Character design will be done by Mebachi.

The original Deemo debuted last 2013 on iOS and Android devices. Rayark Games later released the game in Japan for the Playstation Vita in 2015 under the title Deemo: Last Recital. The game eventually got a North American and European release for the PS Vita as well last 2017, under PM Studios and Rising Star Games. In September of the same year, Deemo also received a Nintendo Switch release. A sequel game, Deemo II, was announced last December 2019.

Developer Rayark Games describes the original Deemo as such:

“A girl who fell from the skies and lost her past

Deemo who plays the piano all alone in the world of the treehouse

an accidental encounter between the two.

The music flows as the fingers hit the piano keys.

The start of a fairytale journey has begun…

‘Before turning to leave, don’t forget to say one last goodbye.”

Deemo II’s story, on the other hand, is described as such:

“When music plays, the sun shall stay."

A girl with flowers growing on her head and an incredible white being with a human form── Deemo. As a melody issues forth from the center of the train station, the rain gradually stops, and the sky clears up once again.

In the endless pouring rain, the two of them search the fantasy kingdom for a hope that will save the world.”

Source: Anime News Network