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With summer comes summer romance, and what’s better than a Summer romance with sci-fi elements mixed in between? The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes (Natsu e no Tunnel, Sayonara no Deguchi in the original Japanese) is premiering later this year, and this Monday, July 11, a new trailer has been unveiled.
Based on a light novel by Mei Hachimoku with illustrations by Kukka, and later adapted into manga format illustrated by Koudon, the story centers around a Kaoru Tono who, one summer morning prior to the start of classes, hears a rumor about an urban legend that catches his interest: there’s a mysterious tunnel called the Urashima Tunnel that can grant wishes to those who find it and dare walk through it. However, there’s a toll to be paid for those who enter the tunnel with the intent of achieving their heart’s desires: they become older, losing years of life. At first, Kaoru has a hard time believing this outlandish tale but when he happens upon that rumored passage something occurs to him: Perhaps he’d be able to bring his younger sister Karen, who lost her life in an accident five years prior, back to life.
Kaoru did not expect to be followed, however. The enigmatic new transfer student from his class, Anzu Hanashiro, makes an arrangement with Kaoru to help him experiment with the magical passage and unearth its secrets. What does Anzu want in exchange? Will they be able to make their wishes come true? At what cost?
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The trailer shows Anzu and Kaoru making the deal, standing in front of the Urashima tunnel and shaking hands. There’s a clear aesthetic difference between the setting outside and inside the tunnel, with red and purple lighting for when the two high school students are venturing inside. The trailer also showcases the theme song as sung by eill, who had previously done the ending theme for popular anime series like Tokyo Revengers.
The movie’s voice cast includes Marie Iitoyo as Anzu, Oji Suzuka as Kaoru, Tasuku Hatanaka as Shohei Kaga, Kaoru's friend, Haruka Terui as the students’ homeroom teacher Hamamoto, Arisa Komiya as Koharu Kawasaki, and Seiran Kobayashi as Kaoru’s sister Karen. The team bringing the story to life includes Ryouichirou Matsuo as producer, Tomohisa Taguchi as scriptwriter and director, and Satoki Iida as sound director.
The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes is premiering nationally in Japanese theaters on September 9. An official date for the international premiere has not yet been announced.
Check out the trailer below: