Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, Suzume) has created some of the most popular anime films of the modern era. Now, Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, who was part of Your Name's animation team, is taking over as director for the upcoming anime television series A New Dawn.
According to Comic Natalie, A New Dawn tells the story of three young people growing up in a rather unique house – an old fireworks factory dating back more than three centuries. Decades later, the factory, in addition to a nearby tobacco shop, was about to be forced to close. The story also involves so-called “ghost” fireworks stores. A New Dawn is a co-production between Asmik Ace (Library Wars) and a studio based in France called Miyu Productions (Ghost Cat Anzu), with Studio Outrigger handling the animation. Shinomiya will discuss the film at the Annecy Animation Showcase at this year's Cannes “Marche Du Film” Festival, which takes place from May 14 to 25. However, A New Dawn will not officially hit theaters until 2025 Below is some concept art from the film.
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Shinomiya played an important role in bringing to life the world of Shinkai's films on screen. For Your Name, the animator was assigned to the film's famous “Flashback” scene – a pivotal sequence that reveals the full connection between main characters Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana. Shinomiya also created the backgrounds for Shinkai's 2013 work, A Garden of Words. To date, A New Dawn has completed Shinomiya's first passion project, as he not only directed the film but also wrote the script. While Shinkai counts the works of Studio Ghibli as one of his main sources of inspiration, Shinomiya's debut film appears to have been inspired by a deep interaction with a curious child, which got him started. questioning Japan's gradual evolution and the perception of Japanese youth.
“I started planning in 2016. Time passed, my environment and surroundings changed, and I started a family,” Shinomiya explains. “One day, a child found a 'sea' in a clearing in the woods and asked me a question. It's a bunch of solar panels that look like nothing if you stare at them. The sensibility of the next generation, who brought fresh interpretations to Japan's negative and changing landscape, felt very meaningful to me. At that moment, the story begins to unfold. At that time, it only described a few events, but I think the story has become more realistic. Time has passed.”
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Character Designer Heavenly Delusion and Other Major Artists Will Work on 'A New Dawn'
Several famous artists are joining Shinomiya in his creative project. Utsushita, who designed the characters for Production IG's popular sci-fi film Heavenly Delusion, is also designing the characters for A New Dawn. Akiko Majima, who worked as a background artist for Suzume, Your Name and A Garden of Words, was part of the film's art and animation team. Shuta Hasunuma, an edgy electronic artist who has composed music for several live-action films, is composing the music for Shinomiya's debut feature.
A New Dawn will hit theaters in Japan in 2025. Your Name and A Garden of Words are both available to stream on Prime Video. Makoto Shinkai's other hit film, Suzume, is now available on Netflix.
Your Name (2016)
Two teenagers have a deep and magical connection when they discover they are switching bodies. Things become even more complicated when the boy and girl decide to meet face to face.
Manager Makoto Shinkai
Release date August 26, 2016
Studio CoMix Wave Movie
Cast Kamiki Ryuunosuke, Kamishiraishi Mone
Running time 107 minutes
Source: Natalie Comics