Ten years after its Japanese premiere on November 12, 2016, In This Corner of the World is worth revisiting not just for its hand-drawn wartime storytelling, but for the obsessive, fan-powered route it took to the screen. Produced by MAPPA, co-written and directed by Sunao Katabuchi, with character designs by Hidenori Matsubara and music by Kotringo, the film is based on the manga by Fumiyo Kōno.
A Japanese crowdfunding record before it opened
The project was announced in August 2012. In March 2015, it turned to crowdfunding and made history with 3,374 contributors, a Japanese record, raising ¥39 million against a ¥20 million goal.
One background shot took over 20 revisions
Director Sunao Katabuchi wanted the backgrounds to feel true. One shot took over 20 revisions to get right, using aerial photographs to estimate the size of a shop and interviews with over 10 elderly residents.
Fans funded the director’s overseas tour in hours
A second crowdfunding campaign, started on November 22, 2016, sent Katabuchi overseas for promotion. It reached its ¥10 million goal within eleven hours, continuing the film’s fan-driven momentum.
An extended cut added about 40 minutes
On July 25, 2018, the official Twitter account for the film announced In This Corner (and Other Corners) of the World. The extended version, delayed to December 20, 2019, emphasizes the relationship between Rin, Shusaku and Suzu with about 40 minutes of additional footage.
It opened small and became a word-of-mouth hit
The film debuted at #10 at the Japanese box office in 63 theaters, grossing ¥47 million from 32,032 admissions on its opening weekend. As of March 25, 2017, it had grossed over ¥2.7 billion from 1.9 million admissions.
Critics called it beautiful and involving
Rotten Tomatoes records a 97% approval rating from 74 reviews, with a consensus that praises its ground-level perspective and hand-drawn animation. Metacritic reports 73 out of 100 from 21 critics, and AlloCiné gives an average score of 4.3/5.
A first-ever director win sealed its legacy
The film won the 40th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Film, the 90th Kinema Junpo Best 10 Award for Best Japanese Film as the second-ever animated film, and the Jury Award at the 41st Annecy International Animated Film Festival. Katabuchi became the first-ever animated film director to win the 59th Blue Ribbon Award for Best Director and the 90th Kinema Junpo Best 10 Award for Best Japanese Film Director; the 65th Kikuchi Kan Prize was awarded to the team including crowdfunding participants.
Which detail would you save as the memento: the record-breaking ¥39 million campaign, the shot that needed over 20 revisions, or Katabuchi’s first-ever director wins? Tell us your favourite fact.
Facts from Wikipedia: In This Corner of the World (film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
