Moshimo, Japan. The annual fireworks festival is about to take place and a group of schoolboys, arguing over whether they are round or flat when viewed from different angles, set out to find it out.
Cinematography
Shaft's signature tilted frames and kaleidoscopic fireworks sequences.
Score
Daoko's earworm theme that will haunt your Spotify for months.
Direction
Shinbo's maximalist visual chaos meets quiet suburban longing.
Director
Nobuyuki Takeuchi
Suzu Hirose
Nazuna Oikawa (voice)
Masaki Suda
Norimichi Shimada (voice)
Mamoru Miyano
Yūsuke Azumi (voice)
Shintaro Asanuma
Jun'ichi (voice)
Toshiyuki Toyonaga
Kazuhiro (voice)
Yuki Kaji
Minoru (voice)
Shin-ichiro Miki
Nazuna's Mother's Fiancé (voice)
Kana Hanazawa
Teacher Miura (voice)
Takahiro Sakurai
Teacher Mitsuishi (voice)
Michiko Neya
Norimichi's Mother (voice)
Nobuo Tobita
Norimichi's Father (voice)
Mitsuru Miyamoto
Yūsuke's Father (voice)
Fumihiko Tachiki
Pyrotechnician (voice)
Takako Matsu
Nazuna's Mother (voice)
Jun Inoue
Announcer (voice)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on a 1993 live-action TV special by Shunji Iwai, this adaptation sparked fierce debate about whether Shinbo's style overwhelmed the source material's gentle melancholy.
The 'round vs. flat' fireworks debate is a genuine Japanese summer tradition, though most people don't time-travel to settle it.
JP
