is a 2013 Japanese animated film produced by

Wit Studio , stylized as WIT Studio, is a Japanese animation studio founded on June 1, 2012, by producers at Production I.G as a subsidiary of IG Port. It is headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo, with Production I.G producer George Wada as president and ...

and directed by Ryōtarō Makihara. It was released in Japan on June 8, 2013.

Synopsis

The story takes place in a technologically advanced society where robots can be programmed to behave like a human. After a tragic plane accident, a robot, known as Q01, is sent to a small Japanese town to help a person who just lost a loved one. While trying to heal the melancholic heart, the past of the couple is unearthed.

Voice cast

Production and release

The original film was revealed in the January 2013 issue of

Shueisha is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Shueisha is the largest publishing company in Japan. It was established in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The ...

's ''

Bessatsu Margaret , or for short, is a shōjo manga magazine published monthly in Japan by Shueisha since 1964. The stories featured in it are noted to have an emphasis on character growth, focusing on themes of interpersonal relationships and settings of ever ...

'' magazine. Ryōtarō Makihara directed the film, with Izumi Kizara writing the film's script, and manga artist

Io Sakisaka is a Japanese manga artist A manga artist, also known as a mangaka (), is a Cartoonist, comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another a ...

providing the original character designs. The film was released in Japan on June 8, 2013. Yōko Hikasa performed the theme song "Owaranai Uta" (Unending Poem). In July 2013,

Funimation Funimation was an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service. Launched in 2016, the service was one of the leading distributors of anime ...

announced that they had acquired rights for a North American release.

Manga adaptation

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

adaptation by Umi Ayase was serialized in ''

'' in 2013 and compiled into one volume.

Reception

Theron Martin of

Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and ot ...

gave the film a B+ rating. In his review, he felt the film wasn't long enough to deliver its emotional impact but did give credit to its soft and understated score, quality artistic effort and well-cast English dub, concluding that "If you're looking for a low-key romantic tale and don't mind a big chunk of gimmickry, this one should fit the bill."

References

External links

* * * 2013 anime films 2013 directorial debut films 2013 films 2013 manga 2013 romance films Animated films set in Kyoto Animated romance films Anime with original screenplays Films scored by Michiru Ōshima Funimation Japanese romance films Romance anime and manga Wit Studio {{anime-film-stub