The title and release date of the next Given film have been revealed along with the key visual. The two-part film project has revealed that the first film will be titled Eiga Given: Hiiragi Mix and will premiere on January 27, 2024 in Japan.
Given’s official website posted the key image below, which shows Given’s protagonist Mafuyu Sato’s two childhood friends, Hiiragi Kashima and Shizusumi Yagi, sitting among the band’s equipment.
Given’s success: Manga, animated series, movies and live-action TV series
Given, the famous BL manga by mangaka Natsuki Kizu, debuted in Shinshokan’s Cheri+ magazine in 2013 and ended its run on March 30 of this year. The manga has been compiled into nine volumes. The anime adaptation debuted in 2019 to positive reception, quickly becoming a hit with male fans as well as more casual viewers.
The story follows Mafuyu Sato and Ritsuka Uenoyama, who become friends after Mafuyu begs the prickly Ritsuka to teach him to play the guitar that Mafuyu carries with him everywhere. Ritsuka finally accepted his request and they began taking guitar lessons in the school’s stairs during lunch break. When Ritsuka heard Mafuyu sing for the first time, he immediately invited him to join his band. Although Mafuyu refused at first, he eventually agreed to become the band’s lead singer. The story explores their budding relationship, the troubles of being part of a band, and the pain that Mafuyu carries with him along with his guitar. The heartfelt story struck a chord with many people and became a fan favorite in the anime community.
In 2020, the story continued with the release of Given: The Movie. This time, the story focuses on the two older members of the band, Akihiko Kaji and Haruki Nakayama. The film shows how Akihiko and Haruki’s relationship develops. It also explores Akihiko’s complicated relationship with his roommate and ex-boyfriend, Ugetsu Murata. An OVA following Mafuyu and Ritsuka during the events of the film began airing on Crunchyroll in 2022. Given’s widespread success also led to a short-lived live-action television series with a total of six episodes each about 24 minutes.
Anime, movies, and live-action TV series are streaming on Crunchyroll. The first film in the two-part project, Eiga Given: Hiiragi Mix, will be released on January 27, 2024.
Source: Official website and Anime News Network
