Part of the 2024 season: Unforgettable

Lonely Castle in the Mirror

Kagami no kojo, かがみの孤城

Director HARA Keiichi

Cast TOMA Ami, KITAMURA Takumi, KIRYU Sakura, ITAGAKI Rihito

2022, 116 min, English Subtitles

Kokoro (voiced by TOMA Ami) is a middle school student who confines herself within her room after losing her place at school due to bullying. One day, she notices her room’s mirror start to glow, transporting her to a mysterious castle. There, she encounters six other children of a similar age, all of whom are facing struggles in their lives. In the castle, a mysterious girl wearing a wolf mask known as Okami-sama offers them a task: locate a hidden key within the castle, and she will grant any wish. Will the children succeed? What secrets lie hidden in their hearts? As the mysteries unravel, they are in for a miraculous revelation.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror is an adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same title by TSUJIMURA Mizuki. Directed by the seasoned Japanese animation director HARA Keiichi, known for his work on Colorful (screened as part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2014), this compelling film delves into the struggles of Japanese youth and addresses critical issues faced by schoolchildren in modern society.

The English translation of Lonely Castle in the Mirror is available from Penguin Books.

©2022 “Lonely Castle in the Mirror” Film Partners

 

中学生のこころは、同級生から受けたいじめが原因で不登校になり、家に引きこもる生活を続けていた。ある日、自室の鏡が光りその中に吸い込まれたこころは、鏡の向こうの世界へたどり着く。そこは、「オオカミさま」という狼面をつけた謎の少女が仕切る絶海の城で、自分と似た問題を抱える中学生たちがいた。辻村深月の小説をアニメ化したファンタジー。

(Special thanks to Eikoku News Digest)

Past screenings