Hula Fulla Dance

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Hula Fulla Dance is an anime film produced by Bandai Namco Pictures and directed by Seiji Mizushima and Shinya Watada.

High school graduate Hiwa Natsunagi decides to follow in the footsteps of her late older sister Mari and become a hula dancer at Spa Resort Hawaiians. Hiwa and the other four new members of the team fail their first dance miserably due to their inability to synchronize and are labelled as “the most lamentable newcomers ever.” Even so, the girls find their bonds strengthening as they experience love, dieting, and hula dancing together, as well as sharing both good and bad experiences.

The film was released in December 3, 2021, and also had a manga adaptation that ran from January 27 to October 27, 2021. The film's official (Japanese) website can be found here.

Tropes used in Hula Fulla Dance include:
  • Big Beautiful Woman: Ranko Takigawa is noticeably chubbier than the other girls in her team.
  • Epic Fail: Hiwa and her team's first dance together is a disaster due to their inability to synchronize with each other's movements, leading to them being labeled “the most lamentable newcomers ever.”
  • Hula and Luaus: The film revolves around Japan's Hawaii-themed resort/theme park Spa Resort Hawaiians, so hula dancing is a big part of the story. One of Hiwa's fellow dancers, Ohana Ka'aihue, is even a Hawaiian immigrant.
  • Posthumous Character: Hiwa's older sister, Mari, is dead by the time the film begins and is her primary inspiration to apply for the hula job.