As sensitive as ever to teenagers’ growing pains, animator and director Naoko Yamada paints an exquisite rainbow of adolescent blues in this gentle tale of music and friendship, her first feature since the critically acclaimed Liz and the Blue Bird.

It follows a trio of teenage misfits whose colliding paths lead to enchanting self-discoveries and epiphanies. In her grey uniform, Totsuko might seem like an unremarkable student at her Christian boarding school, yet she has synaesthetic perception, and when she looks at people, their auras and spirits are rendered in vibrant hues. Through Totsuko’s eyes, Kimi, a classmate who is expelled for her rebellious behaviour, is pure electric blue. Rui, a senior from a different high school, is the final member of this band of outsiders; his spirit sparkles with emerald green flashes.

The family backgrounds of these characters are painted with rather broad strokes but their problems are relatable enough: fears of disappointment; parental pressures. However even these gloomy clouds of uncertainty clear when the three begin playing music together. Compared to the rest of the film, which favours a luminous and fuzzy animation style that is soft at the edges, the band’s stunning performance near the end bursts with visual energy. And from a gentle ballad to a modern hymn in the style of 1980s pop, the musically diverse songs beautifully channel the personalities of each member.

This rousing sequence also embodies the film’s insightful approach to depicting faith. While showing Totsuko’s religious beliefs respectfully, The Colors Within takes care to highlight how community can be meaningfully formed outside religion, in the embrace of creative arts.

• The Colors Within is in UK cinemas from 31 January, and in Australian cinemas from 6 March.