The
official website for the film A New Dawn ( Hana
Rokushō ga Akeru Hi ni ), the first film directed by illustrator and
animator Yoshitoshi Shinomiya , announced on Tuesday that its
release has been rescheduled for 2026 . The film was initially
scheduled to hit Japanese theaters sometime in 2024, and was later suggested to
be in 2025.
An
intimate story about an old fireworks factory
The plot
revolves around a 330-year-old fireworks factory that is about
to be forcibly evicted. Keitarō Tatewaki lives there, a young man who
has been locked away for four years perfecting the legendary Shuhari firework ,
a legacy from his late father. Everything changes when his childhood
friend, Kaoru Shikimori , returns from Tokyo after a long
absence. Together they embark on an unexpected quest to
discover the lost secret of the firework that gives the story its name.
The
Japanese title alludes to “Hana Rokushō” , an ancient green
pigment known as Paris green used in fireworks, and to the
word “Akeru” , which can be interpreted as “dawn” ,
directly connecting with the symbolic tone of the film.
A
debuting cast and a renowned crew
The feature
film will feature the first forays into voice acting for Riku
Hagiwara ( My Beautiful Man ) as Keitarō, and Kotone
Furukawa ( Yū Yū Hakusho , Idol ) as
Kaoru. They are joined by Miyu Irino as Sentarō Tatewaki,
Keitarō's older brother, and Takashi Okabe as the missing
father, Eitaro Tatewaki, also making his voice acting debut.
Shinomiya
himself not only directed, but also conceived the story and wrote the
script . The character designs are by Utsushita ( Heavenly
Delusion ), the art is by Akiko Majima ( Suzume ),
and the music is composed by Shūta Hasunuma . The production
is a collaboration between ASMIK Ace and the French
studio Miyu Productions ( Ghost Cat Anzu ).
A
production internationally recognized even before its premiere
In May
2024, A New Dawn was presented at the Annecy
International Film Festival , within the “Animation Day” section,
where a behind-the-scenes video was shown and Shinomiya himself introduced the
project.
The
director is widely recognized for his artwork on Makoto Shinkai 's
films such as The Garden of Words , Your Name ,
and Children Who Chase Lost Voices . He also participated
in Kara no Kyoukai: Mirai Fukuin , Fate/stay night:
Unlimited Blade Works , and directed the flashback sequence in Your
Name . He also provided illustrations for Pokémon: Secrets of
the Jungle and led a 2018 audiovisual project about the history of the
Shibuya Crossing.
With a
visually ambitious approach and a story steeped in symbolism, A New
Dawn is poised to be one of the most notable Japanese animation
productions of the coming years, although fans will have to wait a little
longer to see it hit the big screen.
