The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes – Our review | GameSoul.it

We saw the film premiere in theaters on June 10, 11, and 12 via Anime Factory

Some time ago, we already told you about The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes, only in that case it was from the Star Comics manga composed of 4 volumes in total. After all, it is very common to find ourselves faced with literary works that “magically” become animated films: just think, for example, of Makoto Shinkai’s works such as Suzume or Your Name to help you understand the concept better.

The Tunnel of Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes is an interesting light novel, born from the mind of Mei Hachimoku, which projects us into a fantastic and exciting story at the same time. The question arises every time: how can you summarize almost 300 pages in an 83-minute animated film? Difficult, very difficult, it is necessary to focus on a part of the story, focusing on the relationship between the protagonists and at the same time transmit the same message as the original author, only with another language.

For those like me who have read the novel, you will certainly notice the missing scenes and the changes in direction, necessary choices that served to make the film homogenous, fast and above all exciting. Changes that they do not affect the spirit of the story and which, indeed, make it perfect for cinemas.

Thanks to the very kind invitation of Plaion and Anime Factory, we were able to watch The Tunnel of Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes in its original version (Japanese audio with Italian subtitles) a few days before its cinema debut. The film will be shown in cinemas on 10, 11 and 12 June fully dubbed in Italian.

Let’s get to the point, what is the Urashima tunnel? Apparently, crossing it allows you to get everything one’s heart desires. The price of this gift, however, is quite steep: a few seconds inside the tunnel are equivalent to several hours in everyday life. Luckily, no one knows where it is, it is also said that the tunnel only appears before those who feel the need to achieve something with all their strength.

Kaoru, a teenager with a very difficult life, with an alcoholic father and a mother who left home, one day like any other will find himself in front of this tunnel and will find some “elements” of his past: a budgie and sandal lost of his little sister. Obviously I won’t tell you anything in detail, far be it from me to give you spoilers and ruin the surprise, just know that the reason that will push Kaoru Tono to enter the tunnel it is absolutely noble and extremely touching.

Obviously you will have noticed a girl, her name is Anzu Hanashiro, an apparently grumpy and antisocial girl, who however hides a great strength of spirit and a very sweet personality, especially towards her classmate Kaoru. She too will find herself going through the tunnel, for very different reasons but which still deserve the right attention.

The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes was made by Studio CLAP, the same one who made Pompo la Cinefila which we told you about already talked about on our pages. I found the film very nice, even if, inevitably, it loses some strengths that characterized both the manga and the light novel.

Focusing almost exclusively on the relationship between Hanashiro and Kaoru is not wrong, on the contrary, but the transposition loses some of the fundamental relationships for the evolution of the protagonists
along the way. For example, Hanashiro’s friendship with her classmate Kawasaki (who plays a marginal role in the film), but above all there is no exploration of Kaoru’s difficult past with her family, and her very sweet past with her little sister. she.

All in all though the substance remains unchanged and, by shuffling the cards a bit, the narrative quality has not been lost in the slightest. The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes puts love at the center of everything, a feeling so strong that not even the barriers of time could ever break. A bittersweet and very evocative story which will certainly not leave the viewer stunned, especially those who strongly believe in pure feelings.

Visually speaking, the film is truly wonderful, especially once you cross the border: inside the tunnel you find yourself as if you were in a forest with red and pink shades, a sort of alternative world in which water plays a very important role. I could think of it as a reminder of an arduous journey towards our innermost desires.

What I liked most about The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes is the science fiction element of the story which I already partly knew. In a love story that knows no boundaries, a lot is reflected on pain, regrets and the search for something so it’s worth taking risks and questioning everything.

Even if we don’t reach the peaks of Makoto Shinkai, a true master of teenage dramas, the work of director Tomohisa Taguchi (Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War) and studio CLAP is truly noteworthy: it is not an easy task to get the viewer a small glimmer of hope in the pain of loss.

CONCLUSIONS

The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes, leaves in the viewer that sense of discovery and amazement, of curiosity and of what one is ready to face to try to get back something that one desires with all one’s strength: a desire so desperate that it could become reality. What happens will be up to you to discover, on 10, 11 and 12 June directly at the cinema.

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