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The anime film based on the novel Lonely Castle in the Mirror (Kagami no Kojō) by Mizuki Tsujimura won the Special Prize for the AniMovie award at the Stuttgart International Animation Film Festival in Germany. The festival is held from April 23-28.
The jury said the film won a Special Award”for its brave and sensitive storytelling that tackles the important theme of overcoming loneliness through unexpected friendships.”
Benoît Chieux's Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds won the main AniMovie award for best animated film this year.
Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo won the AniMovie award in 2010, and Makoto Shinkai's The Garden of Words won the award in 2014. Mamoru Hosoda's Mirai won the award in 2019. In This Corner by Sunao Katabuchi of the World won the 2017 Special Award for Animation.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror opened in Japan in December 2022. GKIDS screened the film in Japanese with English subtitles and select English dubs in North American theaters in June 2023.
Keiichi Hara (Colorful, Miss Hokusai, The Wonderland) directed the film at A-1 Pictures. Miho Maruo, who wrote the script for Hara's Miss Hokusai and The Wonderland, will write the script. Keigo Sasaki (Blue Exorcist, ERASED, The Seven Deadly Sins) designed the characters and served as animation director. Russian artist Ilya Kuvshinov, who drew the character designs for The Wonderland, is credited with the visual concept and castle design. Harumi Fuuki, who composed music for Hara's previous films, returned for this new film. Shochiku distributed the film.
The Japan Academy Film Award for Excellence nominated the film for the Animation of the Year Award in the 46th annual awards.
Doubleday released the novel in English in April 2021, and describes the story:
In a quiet neighborhood of Tokyo, seven teenagers wake up to find their bedroom mirror glowing.
With just one touch, they are pulled out of their lonely lives to a new world. a magical castle with winding staircases, landscape-filled portraits and sparkling chandeliers. In this new sanctuary, they are faced with a series of clues that lead to a secret room where one of them will be granted a wish. But there's a catch: if they don't leave the castle by 5 o'clock, they will be punished.
As time passes, a cruel truth emerges: only those brave enough to share their stories will be punished. saved.
Tsujimura (Anime Supremacy! novel, Naoshi Arakawa's A School Frozen in Time manga) released the original novel in Japan in 2017.
Source: Stuttgart International Animation Festival, Animation Business Magazine (Tadashi Sudo)