The Place Promised in Our Early Days
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
The Place Promised in Our Early Days | |
雲のむこう、約束の場所 (Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho) | |
---|---|
Anime film | |
Directed by | Makoto Shinkai |
Produced by | Makoto Shinkai |
Written by | Makoto Shinkai |
Music by | Tenmon |
Studio | CoMix Wave Inc. |
Licensed by | |
Released | 20 November 2004 |
Runtime | 90 minutes |
Novel | |
Written by | Shinta Kanō |
Published by | Enterbrain |
English publisher | |
Published | December 26, 2005 |
Manga | |
Written by | Makoto Shinkai |
Illustrated by | Sumomo Yumeka |
Published by | Kodansha |
Magazine | Monthly Afternoon |
Demographic | Seinen |
Original run | February 2006 – 25 August 2006 |
Volumes | 1 |
The Place Promised in Our Early Days (Japanese: 雲のむこう、約束の場所, Hepburn: Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho, lit. 'Beyond the Clouds, the Promised Place') is a 2004 Japanese anime film written, produced, cinematographed, directed and edited by Makoto Shinkai in his feature film debut. Set over several years in an alternate history where the Soviet Union occupies the Japanese island of Hokkaido it follows two childhood friends who grow apart after one of their friends disappears. As international tensions rise and a mysterious tower built by the Union starts replacing matter around it with matter from other universes, they cross paths once again and realize their missing friend might be the key to saving the world.
Unlike his short film Voices of a Distant Star, which was largely made by Shinkai on his own, The Place Promised in Our Early Days is a full-scale production, as reflected by its better animation quality and longer running time. It has been broadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network Animax. It was licensed for North American release by ADV Films and is now licensed by GKIDS.[2]
It was one of Makoto Shinkai’s films to be selected to be screened at the Japanese film festival in India as part of celebrations of 70th anniversary of establishment of India Japan diplomatic relations.[3]
Cast[edit]
Character | Japanese voice actor | English voice actor |
---|---|---|
Hiroki Fujisawa | Hidetaka Yoshioka | Chris Patton |
Takuya Shirakawa | Masato Hagiwara | Kalob Martinez |
Sayuri Sawatari | Yūka Nanri | Jessica Boone |
Professor Tomizawa | Kazuhiko Inoue | Andy McAvin |
Maki Kasahara | Risa Mizuno | Kira Vincent-Davis |
Okabe | Unshō Ishizuka | John Swasey |
Arisaka | Hidenobu Kiuchi | Illich Guardiola |
Emishi Manufacturing employee | Eiji Takemoto | Adam Jones |
Emishi Manufacturing employee, Hospital Director, Train Announcer | Masami Iwasaki | Andrew Love |
Emishi Manufacturing employee, Graduate Student | Takahiro Hirano | Jacob A.Gragard |
Female student, Nurse, TV Announcer | Maki Saitou | Hilary Haag |
Female student | Yuki Nakao | Mariela Ortiz |
Male student | Kōsuke Kujirai | Matthew Crawford |
Female student, Nurse, Hiroki's girlfriend | Rie Nakagawa | Lesley Tesh |
Patrol Boat Warnings | Hirochika Kamize | — |
US Military Officer | Brett Coleman | — |
NSA | Ian O'Neal | |
Additional voices | — |
|
Allusions[edit]
The film includes several references to other literary works and themes, such as separation and dreams. The poem read by Sayuri in class is Eiketsu no Asa (永訣の朝, Morning of the Last Farewell) [4] from the poem collection Haru to Shura (春と修羅, Spring and Asura) by well-known Japanese writer Kenji Miyazawa (1896–1933). It was written on the occasion of the premature death of his sister, Toshi Miyazawa (1898–1922). Furthermore, during the summer sequence in the film, Sayuri is seen reading a novel titled "The Net Involved in a Dream" ("夢網", "Dream Net") by Morishita Sakae. Although the author is fictional, a book of the same name [5] exists by a similarly named poet, Hoshio Sakae.[6]
A reference to the director's previous work is made when Takuya and Hiroki meet at the station. They see a cat which Takuya calls Chobi, the name of the cat from She and Her Cat.
Media[edit]
Music[edit]
Theme song[edit]
Your voice (きみのこえ, Kimi no koe)
- Performed by Ai Kawashima
- Lyrics by Makoto Shinkai
- Music by Tenmon
- Arranged by Tenmon
Original soundtrack[edit]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Main Theme" (メインテーマ) | 01:28 |
2. | "Daily Life" (日常 / Nichijou) | 02:23 |
3. | "Station" (駅 / Eki) | 01:33 |
4. | "Sayuri" (サユリ) | 00:46 |
5. | "Their Plan" (二人の計画 / Futari no Keikaku) | 01:44 |
6. | "Another Dream" (もう一つの夢 / Mou Hitotsu no Yume) | 01:07 |
7. | "Hope and Longing" (希望と憧れ / Kibou to Akogare) | 02:01 |
8. | "A Distant Promise" (遠い約束 / Tooi Yakusoku) | 01:29 |
9. | "Sayuri's Melody" (サユリの旋律 / Sayuri no Senritsu) | 01:54 |
10. | "Sign" (兆候 / Choukou) | 01:22 |
11. | "Innocence" (無垢 / Muku) | 01:07 |
12. | "Summer's End" (夏の終わり / Natsu no Owari) | 01:08 |
13. | "The Quest" (探求 / Tankyuu) | 01:49 |
14. | "The World's Dream" (世界の見る夢 / Sekai no Miru Yume) | 00:34 |
15. | "A Deserted Place" (誰もいない場所 / Dare mo Inai Basho) | 00:56 |
16. | "Loneliness" (孤独 / Kodoku) | 03:56 |
17. | "The Raid – Sleeping Beauty" (襲撃〜眠り姫 / Shuugeki ~ Nemuri Hime) | 01:51 |
18. | "A Brief Reunion" (ひとときの再会 / Hitotoki no Saikai) | 05:04 |
19. | "Eternal Summer" (永遠の夏 / Eien no Natsu) | 01:44 |
20. | "Their Conflict" (二人の葛藤 / Futari no Kattou) | 01:47 |
21. | "Sayuri's World" (サユリの世界 / Sayuri no Sekai) | 00:59 |
22. | "Takuya's Resolution" (タクヤの決意 / Takuya no Ketsui) | 02:17 |
23. | "Hiroki's Melody" (ヒロキの旋律 / Hiroki no Senritsu) | 01:13 |
24. | "The Battle Begins – Velaciela" (開戦〜ヴェラシーラ / Kaisen ~ Velaciela) | 01:34 |
25. | "The Place Promised in Our Early Days" (雲のむこう、約束の場所 / Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho) | 03:58 |
26. | "Your Voice" (きみのこえ / Kimi no Koe) | 05:26 |
27. | "The Place Promised in Our Early Days (Pilot Version)" (パイロット版「雲のむこう、約束の場所」 / Pilot-ban 'Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho') | 02:47 |
DVD[edit]
Regular release[edit]
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days (90 Minutes)
- 3 Video Interviews with Japanese Cast
- Original Japanese Trailer Collection
Collector's edition[edit]
Disc 1 (DVD)[edit]
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days (90 Minutes)
- 3 Video Interviews with Japanese Cast
- Original Japanese Trailer Collection
Disc 2 (DVD)[edit]
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days (Animated Storyboards, 90 Minutes)
- Interview with Makoto Shinkai
- Animated Gallery 2002 — 2004
Disc 3 (CDROM)[edit]
- 35 Still Images
- Sheet Music
DVD Book[edit]
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days (Storyboards, 360 pages)
Manga[edit]
The Place Promised in Our Early Days was also serialized as a manga in Monthly Afternoon. It began in February 2006 and ended in August 2006, with eight chapters. The story is by Makoto Shinkai and the art is by Mizu Sahara.
Novelisation[edit]
The Place Promised in Our Early Days has been novelised by Arata Kanoh. There is an English translation by Taylor Engel.
Stage adaptation[edit]
The film was adapted into a stage play directed by Yuko Naito, with a script by Shigeki Motoiki and music by Masato Komata. It had seven performances from April 20–24, 2018 at Tokyo International Forum Hall C in Tokyo, and two performances on May 2, 2018 at NHK Osaka Hall in Osaka.
The cast included Yudai Tatsumi, Shô Takada, Momoka Ito, Kazuyuki Matsuzawa, Wataru Kozuki, Atsuko Asano.[7]
Awards[edit]
- Special Distinction (Feature Film category) – Seoul Comics and Animation Festival 2005
- Jury Selection in the 9th Japan Media Arts Festival[8]
- Silver Prize on Best Animated Film Section (by audience choice) of Public Prize – Canada Fantasia Film Festival
- Award for Art in Seiun Award – 44th Japanese SF Convention
- Best Animated Film – Mainichi Film Awards 2004
- Award for Expression Technique (for Trailer #1) – Tokyo International Anime Fair 2003[9]
References[edit]
- ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (July 3, 2020). "Yen Press Licenses Unnamed Memory, 5 Other Novels, 6 Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
- ^ "GKIDS Acquires N. American Rights to 4 Titles By Makoto Shinkai". Anime News Network. March 10, 2022. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "Japanese Film Festival India Screens Director Makoto Shinkai Films in 2022 Event". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
- ^ "Miyazawa Kenji's "Eiketsu no Asa"". Archived from the original on 19 February 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ 夢網|honto. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ ja:ほしおさなえ
- ^ "Stage Play Adapts Makoto Shinkai's "The Place Promised in Our Early Days"". Archived from the original on 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
- ^ "The Place Promised in Our Early Days | Jury Selections | Animation Division | 2005 [9th] Japan Media Arts Festival Archive". Japan Media Arts Festival. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
- ^ "楽天が運営するポータルサイト : 【インフォシーク】Infoseek". Archived from the original on 13 February 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
External links[edit]
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days at IMDb
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days Review at Anime+ Podcast
- 2004 anime films
- Manga series
- 2006 manga
- 2000s Japanese-language films
- 2004 films
- 2004 science fiction films
- 2005 Japanese novels
- ADV Films
- Alternate history anime
- Animated films set in Hokkaido
- Animated films set in Tokyo
- Animated films set in the 1990s
- Animated films set in the Soviet Union
- Anime with original screenplays
- Cold War films
- CoMix Wave Films films
- Films about the National Security Agency
- Films directed by Makoto Shinkai
- Films set in 1996
- Films set in 1999
- Films set in Aomori Prefecture
- Japanese alternate history films
- Japanese animated science fiction films
- Japanese aviation films
- Japanese romance films
- Fiction about music
- Kodansha manga
- Seinen manga
- Works about aircraft
- Yen Press titles