Sometimes, putting a little faith in the world can lead to wondrous results.
In August 2014, news hit that an animated film based on Fumiyo Kono’s To All The Corners Of The World was in the works. Black Lagoon director Sunao Katabuchi revealed via Twitter that he’d be working on the film at Studio MAPPA. Character designs at the time weren’t yet complete, and MAPPA head Masao Maruyama revealed that an official announcement would come shortly down the line.
On March 8 (Japanese local time), news outlets reported that the film’s staff would raise the money to produce the film via CrowdFunding platform Makuake. Collections began at 11:00 AM local time, and offered a number of reward tiers with rewards that ranged from pins to invitations to attend production meetings. The goal was a lofty 20,000,000 yen ($165,119.36 USD), with hopes that this amount would be reached by the May 29 campaign ending date.
Yesterday, just ten days after the funding drive opened, the campaign announced that they reached their funding goal.
As of press time, the campaign stands at 20,795,000 yen ($171,666.56 USD), from 1,796 backers.
Fumiyo Kono’s To All The Corners Of The World is a successor to her previous work, Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms. It’s a family drama, set in Hiroshima’s military city of Kure during World War II. The series revolves around Suzu, who moves to Kure after marrying her new husband. It is here, where the encounters a life of uncertainty in her new life, with a strange city, a new family to care for, and a new world to come to terms with. Yet, through her pluck and determination, Suzu finds a way to persevere.
The film’s tagline (translated by Anime News Network) reads:
Family.
Meals.
Sketchbook.
Shōwa Years 19 and 20…
Kure, Hiroshima…
In that place and time was my humble daily life.
To All The Corners Of The World film will be directed by Sunao Katabuchi, with character designs by Chie Uratani(Black Lagoon: Roberta’s Blood Trail, Tweeny Witches). Studio MAPPA (Hajime no Ippo Rising, Terror in Resonance) will produce the animation, with GENCO serving as general producer.
Note: Showa Years 19 and 20 correspond to 1944 and 1945 on the traditional Japanese calendar.
Source: Anime News Network
