Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry
| Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry | |
|---|---|
 Japanese theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Tatsuma Minamikawa |
| Screenplay by | Shōji Yonemura |
| Based on |
Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Yasuharu Takanashi |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Gaga |
Release date |
|
Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry (劇場版 フェアリーテイル -DRAGON CRY- Gekijōban Fearī Teiru: Doragon Kurai) is a 2017 Japanese animated fantasy action film based on the shōnen manga and anime series Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima. It is directed by Tatsuma Minamikawa based on a screenplay by Shōji Yonemura, both of whom worked on the anime series. Mashima is involved as executive producer and storyboard artist.[1]
Canonically set between Fairy Tail's penultimate and final story arcs,[2] the film focuses on the members of the titular wizard guild infiltrating the Kingdom of Stella to recover a stolen staff of cataclysmic power. Tetsuya Kakihara, Aya Hirano, Rie Kugimiya, Yuichi Nakamura, Sayaka Ōhara, Satomi Satō, and Yui Horie all reprise their roles from the television series, with Makoto Furukawa, Aoi Yūki, and Jiro Saito co-starring as new characters designed by Mashima and Yūko Yamada.[1] The film was released in Japan on May 6, 2017. It received limited theatrical screenings worldwide, with Funimation releasing the film in North American theaters in both Japanese and localized English-dubbed formats from August 14 through August 19, 2017.[3]
Plot
Zash Caine (ザッシュ・ケイン Zasshu Kein), the Kingdom of Stella's minister of state and a practitioner of black magic, infiltrates the Kingdom of Fiore and steals the Dragon Cry, a mystical staff discovered in the dragon graveyard beneath the capital city. Fiore's royal family enlists Natsu Dragneel and his team from the Fairy Tail guild to recover the staff, detailing that it is imbued with magical power capable of annihilating the kingdom. The wizards follow Zash to Stella, whose ruler, King Animus (アニムス Animusu), intends to use the staff for a ritual. Upon touching the staff, Natsu triggers an alarm and attracts Zash's attention. Eventually, Fairy Tail is defeated by Zash and the kingdom's elite wizard unit, the Three Stars, who place them under arrest and take the staff back.
Natsu escapes from his airborne cell and frees the others, stopping Zash from using Lucy Heartfilia as a blood sacrifice for his magic. The wizards evade Zash with the help of Sonya (ソーニャ Sōnya), Animus's aide and childhood friend, and Zash's reluctant accomplice. Sonya pleads with Fairy Tail to leave the Dragon Cry in Stella, explaining that their ritual with the staff could prevent a potential magical disaster from destroying her kingdom. However, Natsu rebuffs her request, sensing that the staff contains the malicious intent of dragons that were killed by Acnologia.
The wizards re-infiltrate the city to retrieve the staff, defeating the Three Stars in the process. Sonya grabs the Dragon Cry and, confirming its true nature, refuses to give the staff to Animus. Natsu arrives and sees Sonya speaking to herself, revealing her to be possessed by the king. Animus reveals himself to be a dragon who sealed himself within Sonya's body to cheat death, appearing in her mind in a human guise to manipulate her. Unable to escape Sonya's body, Animus performs the ritual to free himself using the staff's magic, but only manages to emerge in an imperfect form after Zash steals the staff for himself. Summoning an army of artificial soldiers against Fairy Tail, Zash attempts to destroy Fiore with the staff, but is disintegrated by its magic energy.
In their struggle for the staff, Animus impales Natsu on one of his spikes and finishes absorbing the staff's magic, regaining his full strength. Natsu survives his injury and viciously attacks Animus, half of his body taking on the appearance of a dragon; Animus recognizes Natsu as E.N.D., the "destroyer of all", before Natsu defeats him. Returning to normal, Natsu is deeply shaken by his transformation, but Lucy comforts him, saying he still looks like himself. Meanwhile, Sonya shatters the Dragon Cry, deactivating the soldiers and causing Animus's body to fade away. The broken staff reverts to its original form, a ribbon, which is blown away in the breeze.
In a post-credits scene, the ribbon is picked up by Acnologia in his human form. A flashback reveals that the ribbon belongs to Sonya, who is mortally injured by Animus's gang of dragons 400 years in the past, prompting Acnologia to kill them in retaliation; a dying Animus inhabits Sonya's body during this time, enabling their survival. In the present, Acnologia callously destroys the ribbon as Zeref observes him from afar alongside Brandish μ and Invel Yura, declaring his battle with Natsu will soon begin.
Cast
| Character | Japanese[1][4] | English[5] |
|---|---|---|
| Natsu Dragneel | Tetsuya Kakihara | Todd Haberkorn |
| Lucy Heartfilia | Aya Hirano | Cherami Leigh |
| Happy | Rie Kugimiya | Tia Ballard |
| Gray Fullbuster | Yuichi Nakamura | Newton Pittman |
| Erza Scarlet | Sayaka Ohara | Colleen Clinkenbeard |
| Wendy Marvell | Satomi Satō | Brittney Karbowski |
| Carla | Yui Horie | Jad Saxton |
| King Animus | Makoto Furukawa | Michael Sinterniklaas |
| Sonya | Aoi Yūki | Erica Mendez |
| Zash Caine | Jiro Saito | Ray Chase |
| Swan | Chiaki Takahashi | Cristina Vee |
| Doll | Ryōta Takeuchi | Bob Carter |
| Gapri | Taku Yashiro | Nathan Sharp |
| Acnologia | Kosuke Toriumi | J. Michael Tatum |
| Gajeel Redfox | Wataru Hatano | David Wald |
| Hisui E. Fiore | Suzuko Mimori | Morgan Mabry |
| Igneel | Hidekatsu Shibata | Jim White |
| Juvia Lockser | Mai Nakahara | Brina Palencia |
| Levy McGarden | Mariya Ise | Kristi Kang |
| Panther Lily | Hiroki Tochi | Rich Keeling |
| Zeref | Akira Ishida | Joel McDonald |
Promotion
Production of a second Fairy Tail film was first announced in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine in May 2015, with key and concept artwork illustrated by Hiro Mashima depicting the character Natsu Dragneel in a half-draconic form seen in the finished film.[6] The film's campaign promotes the climax of the Fairy Tail manga series,[7] which concluded its run on July 26, 2017.
Release
The film was released in Japan on May 6, 2017,[1] with an international release in select theaters scheduled the same month.[8] Madman Entertainment announced plans to distribute the film theatrically in Australia and New Zealand.[9] Anime Limited distributed and released the film on 17 May 2017 in the United Kingdom, with further screenings scheduled for 19 May 2017.[10] German distributor KAZÉ Anime brought the film on June 27 and July 16 2017 in cinemas in Germany and Austria.[11]
On July 14, 2017, Funimation announced limited theatrical screenings of the film in North America. The film will be released on August 14, 2017 in a subtitled-only format in the United States and Canada, and on August 16 and 19 in a dubbed format in the United States. Screenings for the dub are scheduled for August 17 in Canada.[3]
Reception
Sarah Nelkin of Anime Now gave the film a positive review, calling it "a fun romp stuffed with all the elements Fairy Tail is known for that fans can enjoy, from visuals to music to characters". However, she did not recommend the film for newcomers to the franchise, and criticized the brevity of Natsu's character development, despite considering his struggle with his identity "a cool idea".[12] Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network gave the film an overall "B" rating, saying it "nicely builds up to the finale arc of the story" while praising its action, humor, and emotional effectiveness, while criticizing its underuse of characters such as Lucy, Sonya, Gajeel and Levy. Silverman also noted that the film's plot "absolutely assumes that you're familiar with the later events of the story", warning that it would result in fans being "either be mildly confused or very spoiled".[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Anime Film Reveals Cast, Staff, New Characters, May 6 Premiere, Visual". Anime News Network. February 21, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- 1 2 Silverman, Rebecca (August 3, 2017). "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
- 1 2 "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Film Opens in U.S., Canadian Theaters in August". Anime News Network. July 14, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Film Casts Makoto Furukawa, Aoi Yūki, Jiro Saito". Anime News Network. March 14, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Film Opens in U.S., Canadian Theaters in August". Anime News Network. July 14, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Fairy Tail Manga Gets 2nd Anime Film". Anime News Network. May 15, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ↑ "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Film Teases Original Manga's Climax in Trailer". February 28, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ↑ "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Anime Film to Play in U.S., 15 Other Countries in May". Anime News Network. April 26, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
- ↑ Green, Scott (March 5, 2017). ""Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry" And "A Silent Voice" Anime Movies Featured In Official English Subtitled Trailers". Crunchyroll. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
- ↑ "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry in U.K. Cinemas May 17". Anime News Network. April 11, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
- ↑ "Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry in German and Austrian Cinemas on 27. June". Otaji. June 18, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
- ↑ Nelkin, Sarah (April 28, 2017). "We Saw the New Fairy Tail Movie". Anime Now. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
External links
- Official movie website (in Japanese)
