Lonely Castle in the Mirror is an animated film that hit theaters in Japan in December and is currently preparing to premiere in the US. Its fantasy title covers the real-world issues that play a big part in the film and delivers a moving story about people who don’t fit together to support each other.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is based on Mizuki Tsujimora’s 2017 book of the same name, which will be released in English in 2021. The film is directed by Keiichi Hara (Colorful, Miss Hokusai) and produced by A-1. Pictures. The film opened for special screenings from June 21 to June 22, 2023, so Screen Rant sat down with the film’s director, Keiichi Hara, to find out how he feels about the film, why why did you choose this book to adapt, etc.
Directed by Keiichi Hara in Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Screen Rant: What made you want to adapt this particular book for your next movie?
Keiichi Hara: I think that children today have a lot of problems to solve in the world, and by using imagination, I hope to redirect that negativity to a better place. So yes, recognize that there is negativity and problems that exist in the world, and then take it to a positive place. I think that’s what the book is trying to achieve as well, and I really sympathize with what the book is trying to do. I think the original book is particularly good, because it deals with the story of a family who also lost a family member.
Screen Rant: What do you hope the younger viewers of this film, who are about the same age as the characters, will learn from this film? For heavy topics like bullying and depression, that is.
Keiichi Hara: So there are a lot of kids who find that they have no place at school or at home and they don’t want to talk about it. They especially don’t want to talk about how they got there. And I feel like the kids don’t want to talk about it, because you’re speaking out and realizing that you’re weak. A lot of kids feel they don’t want to be seen that way. So I hope that through my film, children will be encouraged to talk more. [about that]and to be able to say, “hey, let’s talk.” When adults say it directly to a child, it sometimes fails. But I hope that after watching the whole movie and the journey the kids go through, they can start to think, “hey, I can depend on adults too, and talking is a good thing. “
Screen Rant: Yeah, that’s one thing that I definitely appreciated about the movie when I watched it. Kokoro’s mother takes her concerns very seriously, and it’s not something every child in such a situation can rely on. So, do you feel it’s important to include a supportive parent character in such a film? And if so, why do you feel that is important?
Keiichi Hara: Yeah, so when it comes to Kokoro and Kokoro’s mother, that relationship. Just taking a step back when it comes to kids today not wanting to go to school or refusing to go to school can sometimes lead to a tug-of-war between the child and the parent. You know, parents ask, “Why don’t you go to school?” and children do not want to answer which makes parents angry. I think that relationship is very common. And so in the movie, Kokoro speaks up, and then her mom is on Team Kokoro, you know, she’s totally there to support her. And so in the movie, the whole episode with Kokoro’s mother, you know, was included in the original book, so it wasn’t the director’s choice. Kokoro’s mother comes to Team Kokoro pretty quickly, but in reality, it may not be so easy. So it’s just to show that change in the movie. I just wanted to show that something can change and hope that by Kokoro speaking first, that communication gap will be closed. Does that answer the question about Kokoro?
Screen Rant: Yeah, I’ll say it.
Keiichi Hara: Actually, it was just the director’s note about Kokoro and her mother. There’s a part in the movie where Kokoro decides to go to school one day, and the whole plan is about all the kids getting together. So in that part, Kokoro’s mother was very worried. And so she went to the front door when Kokoro was trying to leave, and mom said, you know, “do you want me to come with you?” And she said, “no, I’ll go alone.” And so, at the end of the day, for whatever reason, Kokoro doesn’t see the kids—no spoilers. So when Kokoro moved from her first year to her second year of middle school, she went to school, and this was just a small specific director’s note that was made, but mom didn’t worry one bit. any. In that part, she just said, “oh, what do you want for dinner?” Like maybe this, and she said, you know, “have a good day” to her daughter, and she went. And it’s the day I want, just a normal day that I don’t worry about. And in that way, I tried to make her a little more layered and a little more present that way.
Screen Rant: I think that went very well. So when I was researching this book, I found that this book has also been adapted into a manga. I’m curious if the manga adaptation has a lot of influence here or is it mainly from the original book you worked on?
Keiichi Hara: That’s right, the manga doesn’t affect the animation at all. They are completely separate.
Rant screen: Ah. Another thing I’m curious about is if there’s any particular scene you’re proud of? The scenes that stand out to you are symbolic of what you want this movie to be.
Keiichi Hara: So as a director, I really see the whole part where Kokoro helps Aki in the room of wishes—when she’s inside there are a lot of mirrors and she runs through them all . I felt that the scene was particularly important visually, especially in the story, and I paid special attention to it as the director. Toshiyuki Inoue is the animator about this. The music is by Harumi Fuuki, [it] there’s a great eight-beat track, and it’s very uplifting. I really think that scene in terms of visuals, music and sound really come together. And it’s definitely one of my favorite scenes as a director.
Screen Rant: Well, I agree that the scene is visually impressive. It’s great to see. I also noticed while reading about this a bit that it seems this movie has some themes in common with some of the previous movies you’ve made. In particular, I thought about Colorful. Is there a particular reason you’re attracted to works with such themes? You know, depression and anxiety, and problems like that.
Keiichi Hara: Yeah, you know, for those themes and the fact that it appeared in Colorful, those aren’t what I was looking for. That is, I’d say it’s almost a coincidence. You know, in my past I don’t know if you know, I had Crayon Shin-Chan, which I think was in the 80’s or 90’s, if you’re used to that. You know, and honestly, yeah, and just those jokes, the easy jokes, you know, I’d love to see that again. Redo. So yeah, don’t get stuck on a particular topic or anything. But the thing is, they won’t let me perform Crayon Shin-Chan again, so I have to consider that.
About the lonely castle in the mirror
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is an animated film that was first released in Japan in December 2022. The film follows Kokoro, a young girl scared to go to school after a bullying incident. When she’s at home, her mirror activates like a magical portal, transporting her to a distant castle with six other children about the same age. There, they face a challenge: they have a year to find the hidden key and access an inaccessible room. Anyone who does so will be granted any wish they can dream of, but the cost is that everyone will lose all memories of the castle and their time there. Will they keep their precious memories or make a wish that could change their lives?
Fans can watch Lonely Castle in the Mirror in select theaters on June 21 and 22, 2023.