Two teens must choose between what lies in front of them and what they've left behind in this animated Japanese romance.
I’m going to admit something: I’m not a massive watcher of anime. Not for any particular reason… I just don’t watch a lot of it. I could probably count on one hand the number of different anime titles I’ve seen in my entire life. But that doesn’t mean I’m averse to the medium, so if one were to cross my path, I’d be intrigued to check it out. That’s how we ended up here – with The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes… pure happenstance. And isn’t that the luckiest thing? Tunnel to Summer is one of the biggest surprises I’ve experienced all year, and is absolutely worth checking out in its limited cinema release.
Based on a Japanese light novel from 2019 (which was adapted into a manga a year later), Tunnel to Summer explores a pivotal moment in the lives of teenagers Kaoru and Anzu, who discover a magical tunnel with the power to grant entrants their deepest wishes… at the cost of time. The longer they spend in the tunnel trying to find what they want, the more time passes in the outside world. Are their wishes worth sacrificing huge chunks of their life for? Only time will tell…
While there’s a lot to like in Tunnel to Summer (which we’ll come back to later), it does suffer some characterisation issues. Namely that Kaoru, the protagonist, is pretty bland, and not as compelling as his companion, who is not the movie’s focus. Kaoru doesn’t have a lot going for him – he’s defined by the way other people feel about him rather than anything to his own merit, and that makes him somewhat of a void. We understand early on what he hopes to gain from the tunnel, but only thanks to a terrific example of “tell, don’t show.”
This isn’t helped by some clunky dialogue at more than one important moment in the film, though it’s hard to tell if this is a script problem or merely a translation one. And because Kaoru is such a non-character, the film suffers from the unfortunate cliché of “sadboi meets a girl who changes his outlook on life,” which is something that’s been done to death by now, and would be more excusable if Kaoru were more of a character. Sadly he isn’t, so this remains the film’s most glaring issue.
Anzu, on the other hand, is much more interesting, and absolutely should have been the main character. Kaoru’s wants are understandable but simplistic, while Anzu’s feel much less common, and therefore more engaging. Where Kaoru hopes to fix his broken family, Anzu is more concerned with the legacy she will leave behind after her eventual death – and that, quite simply, is a more interesting concept.
This is not to discredit the work of either voice actor, who both do good work. Despite the aforementioned clunky dialogue, both Ouji Suzuka and Marie Iitoyo (as Kaoru and Anzu, respectively) make their characters likeable and endearing – and for a movie like Tunnel to Summer, that matters more than just about anything else.
Because that’s where this movie shines: not in its dialogue scenes or character work, but in its general vibe. Director Tomohisa Taguchi (who’s worked in anime adaptations for a while, having directed films in both the Digimon and Persona franchises) has a good eye for a beautiful shot, and the movie’s visual language is stronger for having him aboard. A standout scene is a gorgeous nighttime fireworks display that’s a key moment in the evolution of Kaoru and Anzu’s relationship – thanks to a combination of character animation, shot composition and Harumi Fuuki’s stunning score, it’s a knockout moment in the film. And when taken as a whole, that’s probably the best thing about Tunnel to Summer: how sweet it is.
I’ve poked a fair few holes in it by now, but there’s no denying that this movie is just lovely to watch unfold. As a romance it’s nothing groundbreaking (and far from the best animated romance so far this year – that award currently belongs to Pixar’s Elemental), but thanks to all the care and attention that’s gone into the making of the movie, it’s a delight to watch. Cliché though it may be at times, it nonetheless sticks the landing in an unexpected and impactful way. The film’s final stretch is easily its strongest, combining all its ideas together for a surprisingly emotional wrap-up.
All in all, this is a movie worth seeking out whether you’re an anime fan or not. If you are, you probably know what you’re getting yourself in for. And if you’re not? Well, you might just surprise yourself.
The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes is in select cinemas now.
All images ©2022 Mei Hachimoku, Shogakukan/The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes Film Partners.