Children of the Sea

is a 2019 Japanese animated film directed by Ayumu Watanabe and produced by Eiko Tanaka, with animation production by Studio 4°C. It is based on the manga of the same title by Daisuke Igarashi, who also wrote the film's screenplay. It is Watanabe's first theatrically released film since Space Brothers #0 (2014), and the first animated film adaptation of an Igarashi manga. The film stars the voices of Mana Ashida, Hiiro Ishibashi and Seishū Uragami. Set by and in the ocean and themed on the mysteries of life, it depicts the connections between humanity and nature. It was released in Japan on June 7, 2019. Plot After a falling out with both her mother and the other members of her school club, female lead and junior high school student Ruka finds herself with nowhere to spend her days during summer vacation, and so she ends up hanging out at the aquarium where her father works. While there, she meets a mysterious pair of brothers, named Umi ("sea") and Sora ("sky"), who her father tells her were "raised by dugongs," and are being observed for their aquatic abilities. The three teens share some sort of connection to a series of supernatural phenomena that have been affecting the world's marine life, such as a comet falling into the sea and aquatic life from around the world gathering in Japan. Voice cast Mana Ashida (Japanese) and Anjali Gauld (English) as Ruka Azumi. Hiiro Ishibashi (Japanese) and Lynden Prosser (English) as Umi. Seishū Uragami (Japanese) and Benjamin Niewood (English) as Sora. Win Morisaki (Japanese) and Beau Bridgland (English) as Anglade, a genius marine biologist who pursues the mystery surrounding Umi and Sora. Goro Inagaki (Japanese) and Marc Thompson (English) as Masaaki Azumi, Ruka's father who works at an aquarium. Yu Aoi (Japanese) and Karen Strassman (English) as Kanako Azumi, Ruka's mother, whose relationship with both Ruka and Masaaki is strained. Tohru Watanabe (Japanese) and Wally Wingert (English) as Sensei, the coach in charge of Ruka's handball team. Min Tanaka (Japanese) and Michael Sorich (English) as Jim, a former friend of Anglade and a marine biologist who now takes care of Umi and Sora. Sumiko Fuji (Japanese) and Denise Lee (English) as Dede, a mysterious figure who watches over Umi and Sora. Marina Otani and Miyuna Kadowaki of STU48 as handball club members (cameo; Japanese).