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In a mystical reimagining of 1920s northeastern Japan, young feline youth Budori Gusuko lives an idyllic pastoral childhood in the peaceful Tohoku forests alongside his loving parents and sister. Their quiet happiness shatters when devastating cold fronts and crop famines decimate the countryside, scattering his family across the wilderness. Forced to wander far from home, Budori takes on various agricultural apprenticeships before joining the Ihatov Volcano Department under the wise Professor Kubo. Dedicating his intellect to scientific vulcanology, Budori prepares to make the ultimate selfless sacrifice to avert another catastrophic winter freeze.
⚠ Background — may contain spoilers
Tezuka Productions produced this visually stunning 105-minute animated fantasy drama feature, released across Japanese theaters in July 2012 by Bandai Visual. Written and directed by veteran director Gisaburo Sugii, the film adapted the classic 1932 fairytale novel by beloved Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa. Sugii previously directed the 1985 classic *Night on the Galactic Railroad*, once again reimagining Miyazawa's human protagonists as gentle anthropomorphic cats. Featuring lush dreamlike art direction and music by Ryouta Komatsu, the film stood as a poignant tribute to nature and Tohoku's resilience.
