Director Makoto Shinkai, known for hit anime movies like Your Name, Weathering With You, and Suzume, recently praised a new film by another young director, calling it a perfect example of anime.
Recently, Japan hosted a preview of the new anime drama, The Day the Verdigris Dawns (also known internationally as A New Dawn), directed by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya. The film follows a group of young adults and their connection to an old fireworks factory in Obinata, which is scheduled to be torn down. It’s a story about growing up and the bonds they share.
Makoto Shinkai Praises ‘A New Dawn’ for Rare Indie-Meets-Mainstream Approach
After watching A New Dawn, Makoto Shinkai told director Shinomiya how much he enjoyed it, calling it a perfect example of a creatively independent film that still succeeds commercially. Shinomiya, along with voice actors Riku Hagiwara and Kotone Furukawa, responded by saying he was very grateful for Shinkai’s praise.
It had been a long time since they’d last seen each other, and he was very grateful that Shinkai had seen his work. Shinomiya previously worked as an artist for Shinkai on several animated films. Specifically, during the making of one film, Shinomiya was a key animator for the memorable “flashback” scene.
Shinomiya’s background as a painter led him to create backgrounds for anime like The Garden of Words (2013). He’s also contributed to several other well-known series, including Pompo: The Cinephile, The Helpful Fox Senko-san, Magical Sisters: Yoko & Nene, and Napping Princess. Beyond directing A New Dawn, Shinomiya also wrote the movie’s original screenplay.
The Japanese title of A New Dawn—Hana Rokusho ga Akeru Hi ni—has a deeper meaning than the English translation. “Rokusho” is a green, copper-based material formerly used in fireworks. While creating stunning visuals when burned, it’s also poisonous to people. The film centers around the Obinata fireworks factory, which has been around for over three centuries and once used this dangerous substance, negatively impacting the local community and environment.
Keitaro, a central character in the film, comes from a family with deep roots in the local factory. He lives a solitary life, crafting fireworks from leftover materials while being constantly reminded of his father through memories connected to the factory. As Keitaro struggles with his personal issues, he connects with two other young people, and together they embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing by facing their shared history.
Early in his career, director Makoto Shinkai was a major influence on Shinomiya, who stated Shinkai was someone he admired in his twenties. As of December 2025, Shinkai’s films, Your Name and Suzume, are among the highest-grossing animated movies of all time. Your Name surpassed Spirited Away’s global box office record in 2016 and has earned over US$405.3 million worldwide, while Suzume has brought in over US$314.9 million globally.
The movie A New Dawn first came out in Japan on March 6, 2026. Currently, it doesn’t have a distributor for movie theaters in North America.
Read More
- New Chris Pratt Sci-Fi Flop Already Out on Streaming
- Heated Rivalry Star Christina Chang Discusses Season 2 and Handling Fame
- Darth Maul Theory Teases The Return Of A Surprising Star Wars Villain In Shadow Lord
- The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Go Back to Basics in a Preview of a New Era
- Boston Blue Star Addresses Recasting Backlash
- ‘Marty Supreme’ Director Reveals Movie’s Shockingly Supernatural Scrapped Ending: “We Built the Prosthetic & Everything”
- ‘The Elder Scrolls’ TV Series Will Never Happen Because of ‘Lord of the Rings’
- Margot Robbie’s Canceled TV Series ‘Pan Am’ Now Streaming for Free
- ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Conquers Disney’s $14B Crown-Jewel Franchise Sequel at the Box Office
- ‘Hamlet’ Trailer Reveals Modern Remake Starring Riz Ahmed
2026-03-18 21:37