The Colors Within

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2:02

The Colors Within

PG

2025

1h 50m

Drama

Anime

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

100+ Verified Ratings

Totsuko is a high school student with the ability to see the 'colors' of others. Colors of bliss, excitement, and serenity, plus a color she treasures as her favorite. Kimi, a classmate at her school, gives off the most beautiful color of all. Although she doesn't play an instrument, Totsuko forms a band with Kimi and Rui, a quiet music enthusiast they meet at a used bookstore in a far corner of town. As they practice at an old church on a remote island, music brings them together, forming friendships and stirring affections. Will they discover their true 'colors'?

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Critics Consensus

Exuberant in both its palette and sound, The Colors Within gets the band together to deliver a kaleidoscopic celebration of human connection.

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Ren Scateni

Sight & Sound

Nov 6, 2025

What makes The Colors Within a queer story, and one that perfectly exemplifies the significance of a chosen family, is its compassionate portrayal of young people who defy societal norms and expectations.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

Feb 28, 2025

4/5

There are no big dramas, save for a call up to the office for skipping a school trip. Reiko Yoshida’s script instead foregrounds sincere friendship and the joyful mechanics of songwriting.

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Josh Slater-Williams

Little White Lies

Feb 24, 2025

4/5

The film’s finale absolutely hits with the power of a dodgeball to the face that still makes you beam uncontrollably.

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Kayla Chu

InBetweenDrafts

Jul 25, 2025

10/10

'The Colors Within' is an extraordinary entry in Yamada’s work.

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Ferdosa

Muses of Media

Jul 24, 2025

4.5/5

Naoko Yamada and Reiko Yoshida’s collaborations always yield outstanding results, and The Colors Within is no exception. It is vibrant and emotionally satisfying.

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Maxance Vincent

InSession Film

Jul 11, 2025

D

There are fleeting glimpses of emotion, but the overall result still rings dull and hollow when the credits roll to an admittedly decent song.

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Jordan

Aug 22, 2025

It was a good movie with good music but I couldn't understand the plot at all.

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Gabriella

Jun 17, 2025

Beautiful movie with beautiful music. The animation is really pretty and crisp. Nothing about the movie I didn’t enjoy (:

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Luis G

Feb 2, 2025

Beautifully animated, wonderful story and music. A must see!!

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Shreya

Jan 31, 2025

Loved it! Great music.

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Philip A. Jones (SonicPAJ)

Jan 31, 2025

Great wholesome movie. Slow paced but the likeable characters and their journey was worth it. The art direction and surprisingly great music really sell this as a unique experience. Good dub too. The main character sounded like my little cousin.

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Susan

Jan 31, 2025

Uplifting storyline, beautiful colors and characters!

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Naoko Yamada

Director

Sayu Suzukawa

Totsuko Higurashi

Akari Takaishi

Kimi Sakunaga

Taisei Kido

Rui Kagehira

Yui Aragaki

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The Colors Within: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Totsuko is a high school student with the ability to see the 'colors' of others. Colors of bliss, excitement, and serenity, plus a color she treasures as her favorite. Kimi, a classmate at her school, gives off the most beautiful color of all. Although she doesn't play an instrument, Totsuko forms a band with Kimi and Rui, a quiet music enthusiast they meet at a used bookstore in a far corner of town. As they practice at an old church on a remote island, music brings them together, forming friendships and stirring affections. Will they discover their true 'colors'?

Director: Naoko Yamada
Producer: Yoshihiro Furusawa, Genki Kawamura, Eunyoung Choi, Wakana Okamura, Kohei Sakita
Screenwriter: Reiko Yoshida
Distributor: GKIDS
Production Co: Story Inc., Science Saru
Rating: PG (Mild Thematic Elements)
Genre: Drama, Anime, Music
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 24, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2025
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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