Basic Info / 基本情報
| English | 日本語 |
|---|---|
| Director | Mizuho Nishikubo / 西久保瑞穂 |
| Year | 2014 |
| Running Time | 102 min (1h 42m) |
| Genre | Animation, Drama, War / アニメーション、ドラマ、戦争 |
| Production | Production I.G, Japan Association of Music Enterprises |
| Box Office | $1.2M (Japan) |
Synopsis / あらすじ
English (Short Synopsis)
In the summer of 1945, on the remote island of Shikotan, 10-year-old Junpei and his brother Kanta live a peaceful life steeped in the world of Miyazawa Kenji’s “Night on the Galactic Railroad.” Their world is upended when Soviet forces arrive to occupy the island. As the two cultures clash, a fragile yet beautiful bond forms between Junpei and a Soviet girl named Tanya. Through poetry and music, the children transcend the invisible borders drawn by adults. However, as the harsh winter sets in and the order for deportation arrives, their small paradise is shattered. Mizuho Nishikubo’s poignant animation explores the tragedy of war through the eyes of children who lost their home and first love to the lines drawn on a map.
日本語 (簡潔なあらすじ)
1945年、色丹島。10歳の淳平と弟の寛太は、父が読み聞かせる『銀河鉄道の夜』の世界を心の拠り所に、北の島の豊かな自然の中で暮らしていました。しかし終戦直後、島にソ連兵が上陸したことで、彼らの平穏な日常は一変します。
一つの家を二つに仕切り、日本人の家族とロシア人の家族が背中合わせに暮らすという奇妙な共同生活。大人たちが言葉やイデオロギーの壁に苦しむなか、淳平は指揮官の娘ターニャと出会います。言葉は通じなくても、宮沢賢治の詩やロシアの歌を通じて、二人の心は次第に寄り添い、幼い恋が芽生えていきました。
しかし、歴史の荒波は残酷に彼らを引き裂きます。極寒の冬、下されたのは日本人の強制退去命令でした。西久保瑞穂監督が描くのは、戦争という暴力ではなく、大人が引いた「国境」という一本の線のせいで、故郷と初恋を奪われた子供たちの痛いほどに美しい記憶の物語です。
Cast & Crew / スタッフ・出演
| Role | English | 日本語 |
|---|---|---|
| Director / 監督 | Mizuho Nishikubo | 西久保瑞穂 |
| Screenplay / 脚本 | Shigemichi Sugita, Yoshiki Sakurai | 杉田成道、桜井剛 |
| Character Design | Yūichi Abe | 阿部恒 |
| Art Direction | Shinji Kimura | 木村真二 |
| Music / 音楽 | Kōji Ueno | 上野耕路 |
| Animation Director | Masahiro Andō | 安藤雅司 |
| Production | Production I.G | プロダクション I.G |
| Voice Cast / 声優 | Kōta Yokoyama (Junpei Senou) | 横山幸汰(瀬能淳平) |
| Junya Taniai (Kanta Senou) | 谷合純矢(瀬能寛太) | |
| Masachika Ichimura (Tatsuo Senou, father) | 市村正親(瀬能辰夫、父) | |
| Saburō Kitajima (Genzō Senou, grandfather) | 北島三郎(瀬能源蔵、祖父) | |
| Yūsuke Santamaria (Hideo, uncle) | ユースケ・サンタマリア(英夫、叔父) | |
| Kanako Yanagihara (Mitchan, maid) | 柳原可奈子(みっちゃん、奉公人) | |
| Yukie Nakama (Sawako, teacher) | 仲間由紀恵(佐和子、教師) | |
| Polina Ilyushenko (Tanya) | ポリーナ・イリュシェンコ(ターニャ) | |
| Tatsuya Nakadai (Adult Junpei, narrator) | 仲代達矢(現代の淳平、ナレーター) | |
| Yachigusa Kaoru (Adult Sawako) | 八千草薫(現代の佐和子) | |
| Hiroshi Inuzuka (Village Chief) | 犬塚弘(村長) |
Additional Information / 追加情報
Awards / 受賞歴
- Japan Academy Prize (2015) – Animation of the Year – WON
- Mainichi Film Awards (2014) – Ōfuji Noburō Award (Best Animation) – WON
- Ottawa International Animation Festival (2014) – Audience Award – WON
- Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (2014) – Best Feature Film – WON
- Asia Pacific Screen Awards (2014) – Best Animated Feature Film – nomination
- Annecy International Animated Film Festival (2014) – Official Selection
Critical Reception / 批評的評価
- General Praise: Acclaimed for emotional depth, historical sensitivity, visual poetry
- Animation: Watercolor aesthetic praised as “Ghibli-quality”
- Themes: Balance between political complexity and childhood innocence noted
- Criticism: Some felt ending too heartbreaking for children’s film
- International Reception: Strong at film festivals, limited theatrical release outside Japan
- Legacy: Considered one of finest Japanese historical animations
Box Office Performance / 興行成績
- Japan Total: ¥140 million (~$1.2M USD)
- Budget: Modest (Production I.G mid-tier project)
- Limited theatrical release (arthouse/independent theaters)
- Strong performance at animation festivals
- Educational distribution: Schools, libraries, community screenings
- DVD/streaming: Steady long-tail sales
- Target audience: Families, educators, history enthusiasts
Related Review / 関連レビュー
🔗 English Review
・[Northern Territories Day] The Island Where Children Loved—And Were Forced to Leave
🔗 日本語レビュー
・【北方領土の日】子供たちが愛した島——そして去ることを強いられた
