ODD TAXI Team's Housenka Film Premieres

Director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kazuya Konomoto, the team behind ODD TAXI, have reunited for an original movie titled Housenka (The Last Blossom).

Director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kazuya Konomoto, the creative duo behind the acclaimed series ODD TAXI, have reunited for an original anime movie titled Housenka, also known internationally as The Last Blossom. The film, produced by animation studio CLAP and Pony Canyon, is scheduled for its Japanese theatrical premiere on October 10, 2025, after its world debut at the Annecy International Film Festival 2025. According to an interview published by MyAnimeList, the movie presents a grounded human story rooted in everyday life, with a fantastical touch provided by a talking flower.

In a joint interview, director Baku Kinoshita, CLAP animation producer Ryoichiro Matsuo, and HI Production producer Hirofumi Ito discussed the film's origins. The project began when Matsuo reached out to Kinoshita, expressing a desire to create an interesting work together. Ito joined, motivated by his previous collaborations with both Kinoshita on ODD TAXI and with CLAP on The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes.

Kinoshita stated he had long dreamed of creating a feature-length anime and feels Housenka represents that dream realized.

Creative Process and Themes

The creative process for Housenka mirrored that of ODD TAXI, with characters and their designs being created before the story was written. Kinoshita explained that this method, which writer Kazuya Konomoto finds easier to work with, involves building a story creatively using existing frames. The director confirmed that from the beginning, the story was always set to include a talking balsam flower, which gives the film its Japanese title, Housenka.

Producer Matsuo addressed the choice of the international title, The Last Blossom. He revealed that after submitting the work-in-progress film to the Annecy festival under the title Housenka and listening to feedback from international audiences, the team decided the new title was more fitting.

Visuals and Direction

The film has been promoted with two contrasting teaser visuals: one depicting darkness and confinement, the other showing light and freedom. Kinoshita stated that both visuals together as a set express the movie's essential aspects, reflecting its depiction of the positives and negatives of life. He elaborated that the film was constructed so that confined spaces and free spaces alternate, appearing in roughly equal measure.

A specific directorial choice involved the depiction of a prison cell. Kinoshita instructed background artist Michinoku-Toge to make the cell feel peaceful and gentle rather than cold and uninviting. The director reasoned that a realistically gray and lifeless prison would make the movie screen dull and dreary over long scenes.

Instead, he wanted the beauty of moonlight to be felt even inside the prison.

Kinoshita emphasized the importance of the audience leaving with a positive outlook, a sentiment he shared with attendees at the Annecy Festival. He believes it is crucial that watching a film forms a new sense of inner values and leaves viewers with a refreshed feeling.

Production Details

When asked about personally fulfilling moments, Kinoshita noted the film is largely faithful to the script. However, he highlighted a minor, unscripted scene where a henchman of a character named Tsutsumi plays by tossing cigarettes by the roadside, which he finds fun and a slight palate cleanser. Producer Ito pointed to the music selection, particularly the end credits song, as a distinctive feature of the work, though specific names were not provided in the source interview.

The voice recording process was impactful. Kinoshita recalled that actors Kaoru Kobayashi and Pierre Taki, who recorded together, found it difficult to unwind after their sessions. Kobayashi, who played a dying old man, reportedly kept saying he was tired throughout the two-day recording, leading the director to believe the role was emotionally and physically draining.

The production utilized pre-scoring, a method also used on ODD TAXI. This process involves actors performing their lines freely without time constraints first, after which animators add illustrative performances to the characters. Kinoshita believes this creates animation that feels more attached to the characters, noting it is a method not often used in Japan.

Promotion Strategy

Producer Matsuo discussed the promotional strategy for Housenka, an original work with no pre-existing fanbase. He stressed the importance of having a wide variety of people watch it, leading the team to focus on overseas film festivals to build awareness. Their goal was to hold the world premiere at the Annecy Film Festival to reach as many viewers as possible, with the director and producers then working to build upon that exposure.

Matsuo noted that while many works are promoted first in Japan, promotion for Housenka began spreading quickly from overseas after its Annecy screening.

Source: MyAnimeList News