Author: Newsroom
| The beautifully animated and utterly unique Summer Ghost will be coming to Blu-ray™ and all major digital platforms on November 1 from GKIDS with distribution by Shout! Factory. Inspired by one of his drawings, the directorial debut from the celebrated Japanese illustrator Loundraw brings his lush visual sensibility to a supernatural drama about the pains of growing up and the importance of living life to the fullest. Bonus features include the feature-length documentary To You Before Dawn, a feature animatic, and an interview with Loundraw. Summer Ghost will be released in its original Japanese version and an all-new English dub and is available for pre-order now by visiting ShoutFactory.com and GKIDS.com/store. |
| Celebrated for his detailed spatial designs, use of transparent, airy colors, and attention to depth of field, undraw began his career as an illustrator when he was a teenager, finding early success on online platforms. He also created key visuals for notable writers, including illustrations for the novel “I Want to Eat Your Pancreas,” later adapted into a theatrical film. Outside of his work in illustration, loun’s debut original animation, “Until Dreams Awaken,” was released on YouTube in collaboration with the wildly popular Japanese rock band BUMP OF CHICKEN and swiftly hit over 2 million views. He was a concept designer for the recent anime adaptation of Josee, the Tiger and the Fish. Conceived as a “short feature,” Summer Ghost showcases original character designs from Loundraw and is produced by FLAT STUDIO, the all-new animation studio he established in 2019. Novelist Hirotaka “Otsuichi” Adachi wrote the film’s screenplay, and the soundtrack is by internationally renowned pianist Akira Kosemura. Released in Japanese theaters in 2021, the film has garnered wide festival play domestically and abroad, including screenings at Leeds International Film Festival (International Premiere), Annecy International Film Festival, and Fantasia International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Gold Audience Award for Short Film. SynopsisAn urban legend says that lighting fireworks at an abandoned airfield will beckon the “summer ghost,” a spirit that can answer any question. Three teenagers, Tomoya, Aoi, and Ryo, each have their reason to show up one day. When a ghost named Ayane appears, she reveals she is only visible to those “who are about to touch their death.” Compelled by the ghost and her message, Tomoya regularly visits the airfield to uncover the true purpose of her visits. Summer Ghost Bonus Features To You Before Dawn Documentary Feature Animatic Interview with loundraw Summer Ghost English Dub Voice Cast Tomoya – David Errigo Jr. Ayane – Megan Taylor Harvey Ryo – Clifford Chapin Aoi – Kyla Carter Tomoya’s Mom – Anne Yatco Ayane’s Mom – Anne Yatco |
