French movie sales company Charades has taken on director Tomohiko Ito’s new animated feature The Keeper of the Camphor Tree. Produced by Japanese studio Aniplex, the movie is based on Keigo Higashino’s best-selling novel, the first animated adaptation of the popular author’s work. The film’s animation will be produced by Aniplex’s subsidiary, A-1 Pictures. The film is scheduled to be released in Japan in 2026.
The movie is set in Tokyo and tells the story of a young man named Reito who makes a series of bad decisions, is fired from his job, and ends up in prison after the death of his mother. However, his fortunes change when a mysterious lawyer offers him a way out in exchange for becoming the “Keeper of the Camphor Tree.”
“The camphor tree in this work is an entity that conveys the human heart in its entirety. Through this film, I will express my gratitude to the people who have made me who I am today,” Ito told Variety.
“Seeing his storytelling firsthand, I’ve always wanted to make a film that reflects his narrative,” said producer Go Wakabayashi. “He excels in character direction and emotional nuance, so I’ve strongly felt he should direct a full-length film.”
Aniplex, a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment in Japan, has produced numerous manga-based films and TV series, including “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaba” and “Solo Leveling” as well as original hits such as the TV series “Puella Magi Madoka Magica.”
Charades co-founder Yohann Comte noted, “We feel honored and privileged that Aniplex trusted us to collaborate on such a director-driven ambitious film. Director Ito surrounded himself with incredible artists and a very talented and dedicated production team. I also want to thank Studio Chizu’s CEO and producer Saito-san for guiding us to Ito-san’s talent.”
Charades has been a big supporter of animated features over the past few years. Among the sales company’s previous animated titles are Gints Zilbalodis’ Oscar-winning Flow, Chicken for Linda!, Ghost Cat Anzu, The Colors Within, The Glassworker, Unicorn Wars, Little Nicholas, Belle, Mirai, Marona’s Fantastic Tale and I Lost My Body.
Source: Variety
Win a Funko X Lilo & Stitch Prize Pack!
