Tsurune the Movie: The Beginning Arrow

Alternate Titles

劇場版ツルネ ―はじまりの一射―
Gekijoban Tsurune: Hajimari no Issha

Synopsis

Minato Narumiya is a boy who loves kyudo (Japanese archery) but reluctantly gives up the sport during junior high after he develops target panic. After entering high school, his best friend Seiya Takehaya joins the school’s kyudo club, but Minato’s feelings remain unchanged. Then, he has a fateful encounter with Masaki Takigawa, and though hurt, he decides to pick up the bow again. Masaki begins to train Minato, but he holds a deep desire for revenge against his own teacher. Meanwhile, Seiya, who has supported Minato all this time, is beginning to feel like he is no longer needed. Minato, who continues to struggle with his feelings for kyudo. Masaki, who has a love-hate relationship with his teacher. And Seiya, who is driven by his feelings for his friend. What awaits them at the end of it all?

Background

Tsurune started as a light novel series written by Kotoko Ayano and illustrated by Chinatsu Morimoto that began being published under the KA Esumo Bunko imprint in December 2016 after winning the Special Judge Award in the Kyoto Animation Awards earlier that year. Two volumes have been published to date.

A TV anime produced by Kyoto Animation aired from October 2018 to January 2019 on NHK networks. It was directed by Takuya Yamamura, written by Michiko Yokote, and features music by Harumi Fuki. It aired for 13 episodes, and an OVA was later released in March 2019 after the conclusion of the anime.

A feature-length theatrical film adaptation was announced in October 2020. It is also being produced by Kyoto Animation and features Takuya Yamamura returning as director with Michiko Yokote supervising the screenplay, Miku Kadowaki handling character designs, and Masaru Yokoyama composing the music. The movie will open in theaters across Japan on Aug. 19, 2022.

Characters

Minato Narumiya (Voiced by: Yuto Uemura)
Minato took up kyudo with the desire to “make beautiful bowstring sounds.” However, during his last match in junior high, he developed target panic and would loose his arrow too soon. Feeling responsible for his team’s defeat, he quit kyudo even though he loved it. Now a high school student, he is unable to give up his love for the sport and joins the school’s kyudo team after meeting Masaki and being moved by his beautiful technique.

Masaki Takigawa (Voiced by: Shintaro Asanuma)
Masaki looks up to his grandfather, who was a master archer, and continues to practice kyudo. Like Minato, he has a history of target panic. At the time, he was harshly criticized by his grandfather, which deeply wounded him. Even now after his grandfather’s death, he is still plagued by hatred. He guides Minato and the others as the coach of the Kazemai High School Kyudo Club while also working as a priest at Yota Shrine.

Seiya Takehaya (Voiced by: Aoi Ichikawa)
Seiya has known Minato since childhood and is a family friend. Due to an incident he experienced during childhood, he is left alone to bear the burden of a crime he cannot atone for. Since then, he has come to think of Minato as the center of everything. He started kyudo while in junior high with Minato and is now the captain of the high school kyudo team.

Ryohei Yamanouchi (Voiced by: Ryota Suzuki)
Ryohei is a first-year student and member of the Kazemai High School Kyudo Club. He is a beginner who started kyudo after entering high school. He used to be friends with Minato and Seiya in elementary school and is overjoyed to reunite with them. He doesn’t like conflict and treats everyone with sincerity.

Nanao Kisaragi (Voiced by: Shogo Yano)
Nanao is a first-year student and member of the Kazemai High School Kyudo Club. He has eye-catching looks and a sunny disposition and is popular with girls, who see him as a prince. He is Kaito’s cousin and often follows him around.

Kaito Onogi (Voiced by: Kaito Ishikawa)
Kaito is a first-year student and vice-captain of the Kazemai High School Kyudo Club. He treats kyudo extremely seriously and has an overbearing attitude toward Minato for quitting kyudo. Deep down, though, he is compassionate.

Shu Fujiwara (Voiced by: Kensho Ono)
Shu is a first-year student and member of the Kirisaki High School Archery Club. He possesses both skills and style and is an overwhelmingly strong archer. During his elementary school days, he practiced kyudo under the same teacher as Minato. He senses Minato’s excellent potential and sees him as the only one who can help him achieve the same high level.

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• Original Creator: Kotoko Ayano
• Director: Takuya Yamamura
• Series Composition/Screenplay: Takuya Yamamura
• Screenplay Supervision: Michiko Yokote
• Character Design: Miku Kadowaki
• Chief Animation Director: Nobuaki Maruki
• Art Director: Shoko Ochiai
• Color Design: Azumi Hata
• Prop Setting: Hiroshi Karata
• 3D Director: Rin Yamamoto
• 3D Art: Mutsuo Shinohara
• Director of Photography: Kohei Funamoto
• Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka
• Music: Masaru Yokoyama
• Animation Production: Kyoto Animation
• Distributor: Shochiku