THE STORY – Once located in a forest of lush greenery, the Obinata firework factory is set for an administrative shutdown tomorrow, and a major road is planned to be extended directly through the premises. For the past four years, Keitaro has locked himself inside the shuttered factory and has been making fireworks on his own. He is determined to unravel the mystery of the Shuhari, a mythical firework that represents the universe, and that was envisioned by his father before he disappeared without a trace.
THE CAST – Riku Hagiwara, Kotone Furukawa & Miyu Irino
THE TEAM – Yoshitoshi Shinomiya (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 76 Minutes
Yoshitoshi Shinomiya’s feature debut is a gorgeous, painterly spectacle; the animation is masterful and beautiful to no end. This Japanese-French co-production is the first animated film to play in the Berlinale competition since 2023’s “Art School 1994.” Coming in at 76 minutes, “A New Dawn” is a must-watch for anime lovers of Makoto Shinkai, especially, as there are shades of “Your Name” throughout. It’s a riveting anime that zips along to Shuta Hasunuma’s brilliant, toe-tapping score that proves Shinomiya has a lot to offer as a director.
The film follows three protagonists, Keitaro (Riku Hagiwara), Senataro aka Chichi (“Spirited Away” actor Miyu Irino), and Kaoru (“Cloud” actress Kotone Furukawa). The film begins with the two brothers, Keitaro and Chichi, hanging out in the past with Kaoru before finding out about the plan to demolish the Obinata Firework factory that their family has run for generations. The film skips forward four years, where we find Chichi working as a civil servant in Tokyo; Kaoru also lives there, but the two haven’t been that close since they were younger. Chichi convinces Kaoru to return to their hometown to force Keitaro out of the fireworks factory where he’s been living for four years, trying to keep the place intact despite the constant threat of it being demolished.
Local authorities have set the eviction day, which is when most of the film is set. Chichi and Kaoru return to find Keitaro locked in the old factory. He’s been making a huge amount of fireworks for the four years he was isolated inside the factory. He plans to set off the fireworks as part of the factory’s last stand before being permanently shut down. It will be a spectacle and an amazing display for everyone to witness. But it’s not just any firework show; they hope to realise Keitaro and Chichi’s father’s vision of a firework named “Shuhari.” This firework possesses powers beyond the ordinary and is often described in a mysterious, mythical manner.
Yoshitoshi Shinomiya is an animator and artist who worked on Makoto Shinkai’s “Your Name” as a key animator and unit director on a flashback sequence. Shinkai’s influence can be seen throughout the film; it has strong symbolism of the cosmos and a greater connection to something mystical and unexplainable. Visually, the hand-drawn nature and vibrancy of the animation are also in tune with his mentor’s style. “A New Dawn” opens with a series of hand-drawn lines flying across the frame, swirling until Kaoru is revealed as she steps in a puddle. The animation style is similar to the “Kuchikamizake trip” in “Your Name”, where the red string flies out of Mitsuha’s grandma’s house and into the atmosphere. Just this alone should be reason enough for anime fans to give “A New Dawn” a go.
However, the film stumbles as the plot develops into something quite confusing. The intentions of putting on a grand fireworks show for the ages are clear, along with trying to stop the town from getting rid of the factory. But everything else feels muddled, even the relationships between the characters can be unclear at times. It takes a lot of effort to maintain full focus and keep up with the story, which moves at a breakneck pace. It’s hard to fully connect to the characters because of this, which is the film’s major flaw. However, the animation’s grandeur, the overarching narrative, and the satisfying conclusion save “A New Dawn” from being a confused slog; it’s gripping but a bit of a challenge for the audience.
The film’s beautiful, lively animation, combined with the score, makes for an enchanting cinematic experience. Composer Shuta Hasunuma is a top talent, honing in on moments of optimism, melancholy, and the fantastical with catchy, rhythmic songs and musical notes. Music is so important in anime; it’s not background music, it’s often used as a key element to drive the story onwards and emphasise characters’ emotions. Here, when Hasunuma’s music gets going, especially in the Shuhari firework launch scene, it’s epic, high-energy, and emphasises the miracle of Shuhari. There is one line in “A New Dawn” that sums up the significance of its sound and visuals: “One firework captured the cosmos in sound and color.”
“A New Dawn” is a great first crack at directing for Yoshitoshi Shinomiya. It’s rare for a film to have serious flaws, but this debut is almost unforgettable for them. It concludes on a magical, freeing note, with the characters letting go of the past and embracing the future, of course, with a cosmic bang. Whatever comes next for Shinomiya should be on everyone’s radar, as he has proven his talent and can learn from the mistakes in his writing.
