The official website for the third anime film in San-X’s Sumikko Gurashi franchise has revealed exciting details. Titled “Eiga Sumikko Gurashi: Tsugihagi Kōjo no Fushigi na Ko (The Mysterious Child of the Makeshift Factory),” this film continues the adventures of the lovable Sumikko Gurashi characters.
The trailer previewed Perfume’s theme song, Sumikko Disco, adding a delightful touch to the film. Along with this announcement are a new main visual poster and a new trailer. Sumikko Gurashi features a group of slightly negative characters who find solace in the corners of a room.
It includes the sensitive polar bear “Shirokuma,” the uncertain penguin “Penguin?” with a question mark in its name, the uneaten piece of pork cutlet “Tonkatsu,” the shy cat “Neko,” and the enigmatic “Tokage,” who conceals his true nature as one of the last dinosaurs.
Sumikko Gurashi became a beloved phenomenon in the world of kawaii (cute) culture, bringing together a charming cast of characters that have captured the hearts of anime and manga enthusiasts alike.
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What is Sumikko Gurashi?
Sumikko Gurashi, a delightful creation by San-X, is a collection of fictional characters that are the essence of “life in the corner.” These endearing characters were the brainchild of Yuri Yokomizo, a talented graphic designer at San-X, who made their debut in 2012.
Inspired by the comforting embrace of corners, Yokomizo’s original doodles from her student days served as the foundation for these charming beings.
Catering to those in Japan who appreciate the peace of corners, whether it’s the cozy corner seat in a café or the snug corner of a room, Sumikko Gurashi features anthropomorphized animals and food items.
The main characters, known as “Sumikko,” share common traits like a slightly negative disposition and a sense of being outcasts in daily life. Interestingly, they find solace in the proximity of corners.
In contrast, some of the smaller side characters, known as “Minikko,” exhibit a more optimistic outlook, such as Zassou, the aspiring weed. First created as a series of cute animal characters, the addition of characters like Tonkatsu, the leftover pork cutlet, shifted the focus.
Yokomizo explained that characters like Tonkatsu and Tapioca were born out of a sense of empathy for the overlooked. In 2019, she also revealed that some aspects of the books draw from her own experiences, such as a scene where the characters are hesitant about answering the phone.
Sumikko Gurashi: Anime Films
Hazumu Sakuta, known for their work on titles like Neko no Dayan and Uchū Nanchara Kotetsu-kun, directs the third film in the Sumikkogurashi series. Returning to write the script is Takashi Sumita, who wrote the script for the first film.
Yoshihiko Inohara and Manami Honjō make a comeback from the first two films to narrate the upcoming third film.
The Sumikkogurashi franchise made an impressive debut with its first anime film, Sumikkogurashi- Good to be in the Corner, in November 2019. This heartwarming tale of unique characters resonated with audiences, selling an impressive 1.22 million tickets and accumulating 1.4 billion Yen (around US$12.8 million) at the Japanese box office by February 2020.
The film’s commendable quality was recognized with the Best Animation of the Year award at the 29th Annual Japan Movie Critics Awards in June 2020. The sequel, Eiga Sumikko Gurashi: Aoi Tsukiyo no Mahō no Ko (The Magical Child of the Blue Moonlit Night)” continued the franchise’s success when it premiered in November 2021.
Within its first three days, the film attracted around 200,000 viewers and earned approximately 250 million yen (around US$2.22 million), furthering Sumikkogurashi’s enduring charm and appeal.
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