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'The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbye' Anime Film Opens in Hong Kong on January 5
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Hong Kong film distributor Edko Films announced on Thursday that it will open the anime film of Mei Hachimoku and Kukka's The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbye (Natsu e no Tunnel, Sayonara no Deguchi) young adult novel in Hong Kong on January 5. Edko Films is streaming a Chinese- and English-subtitled trailer for the film.
The film opened in Japan on September 9. Ōji Suzuka starred in the film as Kaoru Tōno and Marie Iitoyo played Anzu Hanaki.
Tasuku Hatanaka played Kaoru's friend Shōhei Kaga. Arisa Komiya played Koharu Kawasaki, Anzu's belligerent classmate. Haruka Terui played Kaoru and Anzu's homeroom teacher Hamamoto-sensei. Rikiya Koyama played Kaoru's father. Seiran Kobayashi played Kaoru's younger sister Karen Tōno.
Tomohisa Taguchi (Akudama Drive, Kino's Journey - The Beautiful World, Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna) directed the film at CLAP (Pompo: The Cinéphile), and was also the scriptwriter and storyboarder, as well as the line director alongside Kanji Miyake. Tomomi Yabuki (Pompo: The Cinéphile animation director) was the character designer and chief animation director, with Yabuki, Seiji Tachikawa, Akio Hasegawa, and Yasuhisa Katō as animation directors. Harumi Fuuki (Miss Hokusai, Forest of Piano, Tsurune) composed the music.
Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed both the original light novel and its manga adaptation in North America, and it describes the story:
Tono Kaoru heard a rumor: The laws of space and time mean nothing to the Urashima Tunnel. If you find it, walk through and you'll find your heart's desire on the other side...in exchange for years of your own life. On the night Kaoru just so happens to find himself standing in front of a tunnel that looks suspiciously like the one the rumor describes, he finds himself thinking of Karen, the sister he lost in an accident five years ago. To Kaoru's surprise, he's been followed by the new transfer student Anzu Hanaki, who promises to help him experiment with the mysterious tunnel--but what does she want from Kaoru in exchange? And what will he have left to give, after the tunnel's done with him?
Hachimoku released the original light novel in July 2019, with illustrations by Kukka. The novel was ranked #9 in the bunkobon category of the 2020 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (This Light Novel Is Amazing!) guidebook.
Koudon launched the manga in Shogakukan's Sunday GX magazine in July 2020, and ended it in November 2021.
