


Although at summer's end she must leave Gin to return to the city and her studies, Hotaru promises to return to visit him every summer holiday.Īs the years go by, Gin hardly ages while Hotaru physically matures and grows closer to his apparent age. Hotaru returns to visit Gin in the forest over the next few days and they become friends despite the limitations on their interactions.

She is found by a mask-wearing, human-like entity named Gin, who informs Hotaru that he will disappear forever if he is touched by a human. The original Hotarubi no Mori e shōjo manga and subsequent film tell the story of a six-year-old girl named Hotaru Takegawa, who gets lost in a forest inhabited by a mountain spirit, as well as yōkai (strange apparitions from Japanese folklore). There were few criticisms, most commonly focusing on its short length. Reviewers universally praised the anime film for its beauty, simplicity, and tenderness, likening it to the works of Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli and Makoto Shinkai. Sakura reported experiencing a strong emotional reaction to the story while recording the voice of Hotaru, and Midorikawa acknowledged that the story had a positive impact on her career. Both the keepsake edition manga and the limited edition BD ranked No. 13 on Japan's Oricon sales chart shortly after their release. An additional story related to the original manga and anime film, titled Hotarubi no Mori e Tokubetsuhen ( 蛍火の杜へ 特別編), was released in a keepsake edition of the manga 12 days prior to the release of the anime. The anime was released on Blu-ray Disc (BD) and DVD in Japan on February 22, 2012. It was screened at the Leeds International Film Festival, Anime Contents Expo and Anime Expo convention, and also won the Animation Film Award at the 66th Annual Mainichi Film Awards. The European premiere of Hotarubi no Mori e was on Octoat the Scotland Loves Animation festival, where it won the Jury Prize.

The film maintained a strong following for months in Japan after its opening on September 17, 2011. The film starred Japanese voice actors Ayane Sakura and Kōki Uchiyama, and its soundtrack included music by Makoto Yoshimori. Hotarubi no Mori e is considered a starting point for Midorikawa's best-known work, Natsume's Book of Friends.Ī 44-minute anime film with the same title was produced in 2011 at the anime studio Brain's Base and directed by Takahiro Omori. The inspiration to write the story came suddenly to Midorikawa, who immediately drew the manga-a process that went smoothly despite some initial conflicting elements. Hotaru returns every summer to spend time with Gin, and their relationship matures as both struggle with its limitations. Hotaru learns that her friend is supernatural and that touching Gin will cause him to disappear forever. Hotarubi no Mori e tells the story of a young girl named Hotaru and her friendship with Gin, a strange young man wearing a mask, who she meets at the age of six in a mountain forest near her grandfather's country home. It was published in the July 2002 issue of LaLa DX in Japan, and in July 2003 it was reprinted in a tankōbon short story collection of the same name, which included four romantic one-shot stories written by Midorikawa. "Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light") is a one-shot shōjo manga written by Yuki Midorikawa. Worth a shot.Hotarubi no Mori e ( Japanese: 蛍火の杜へ, lit. The simple story, serene quality & magical vibe helps keep the interest alive while evoking feelings of nostalgia in surprising ways. Overall, To the Forest of Firefly Lights would've sufficed as a short film instead of aiming for feature-length but it still makes fab use of its 45 mins runtime, taking viewers through plethora of emotions.
Hotarubi no mori e 2011 plus#
The story unfolds at a breezy pace, while the interaction between the two characters plus their growing intimacy for each other is sensibly handled & finely portrayed. Directed by Takahiro Omori, the film addresses first love, memories & passage of time in an apt manner, and is as exquisitely animated as it is beautifully told. Short, sweet & sentimental, To the Forest of Firefly Lights (Hotarubi no Mori e) is a simple yet moving coming-of-age story following a young child who is rescued by a spirit after she gets lost in an enchanted forest, and covers her decade-long friendship with the same entity despite the limitations of their interactions.
