The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes 2023

In the midst of a rainy day, a chance encounter unfolds at Kasaki Station between Kaoru Touno (a reserved high school student from a rural town in Japan) and Anzu Hanashiro (a mysterious transfer student from Tokyo), whose life has been marked by an inexplicable void. As Kaoru tries to shield her with his umbrella, Anzu reveals the absence of parental figures in her life, prompting him to remark that it’s “good” - a phrase that resonates as a harbinger of the complexities to come. The two exchange phone numbers, and their connection is cemented.

The next day, Anzu’s arrival at Kaoru’s school becomes a reality check for both students. Despite the class’s best efforts to welcome her, Anzu’s icy demeanor proves impenetrable, drawing the ire of class mean girl Koharu Kawasaki, who pilfers her manga and flaunts it on the floor. In a stunning display of defiance, Anzu retaliates with a punch that leaves Koharu reeling. Later that evening, Kaoru’s father unleashes a torrent of anger upon him, leveling accusations at his wife for abandoning their family and at Kaoru himself for being responsible for his sister Karen’s demise. With his life held hostage by his father’s demands to bring back his deceased sister, Kaoru flees the scene, stumbling upon the fabled Urashima Tunnel in the process.

As he re-enters the tunnel, carrying one of Karen’s slippers and his deceased pet parrot, Kaoru discovers that a week has passed outside despite his brief sojourn. The following day, he returns to the tunnel, only to find Anzu waiting for him. They form an alliance to realize their deepest desires, with each passing moment in the tunnel translating to two hours outside.

As they navigate the tunnel’s mystifying properties, their bond strengthens. During an aquarium date, Anzu confesses her trepidation about the tunnel, while Kaoru opens up about his heart-wrenching wish: to revive his sister Karen, whose tragic death has left him with a lifetime of regret.

As the clock ticks away, Kaoru and Anzu venture back into the mysterious Urashima Tunnel, determined to re-emerge within the 108-second window, three days outside. Their mission yields a stack of papers, but an unexpected detour results in them lingering inside for more than two minutes. As the first light of dawn approaches at 4am, they decide to seek refuge at Anzu’s humble abode until morning arrives. It is here that she shares her deeply personal wish: a childhood dream of becoming a successful manga artist was cruelly extinguished by her parents when she dared to pursue her passion, forced to leave the family home after revealing her aspirations. Her greatest desire now is to possess the innate talent necessary to make a mark on the world through her art. The stack of papers they retrieved holds a poignant secret: an old manga written by youthful Anzu, discarded by her father without a second thought. Kaoru’s insistent curiosity leads him to uncover Anzu’s hidden potential.

The evening after their carefree summer festival date, Kaoru returns home to find his father ensconced with a new companion, his stepmother. The next day, he persuades Anzu to postpone their final journey into the tunnel, but his sudden disappearance leaves her in a state of distress and foreboding. In a desperate bid to uncover the truth, she hastens to the Urashima Tunnel, only to receive a message from Kaoru that shatters her illusions: the tunnel’s power lies not in granting wishes, but rather in restoring what has been lost. He implores Anzu to follow her heart and pursue her passion for manga, so that he may one day hold her creations close when he eventually emerges from his own existential limbo. Crushed by this revelation, Anzu tearfully confesses that her deepest desire was not to become a successful artist, but rather to be with Kaoru.

Meanwhile, Kaoru finds himself lost in a surreal world within the tunnel, where he reunites with his sister on the day following her passing. As she reveals her joy at being reunited with him, he begins receiving cryptic messages from outside the tunnel’s boundaries – an impossibility previously thought to be beyond the realm of possibility. His sister’s words resonate deeply: she will find happiness as long as he is surrounded by someone he loves. Kaoru comes to a profound realization – his heart belongs to Anzu. He accepts his emotions, moving forward from the pain of his sister’s passing.

Eight years have elapsed since their fateful encounter at the train station where they first met. Anzu has become a moderately successful manga artist, though her once-bright passion now burns with a tired, bitter flame. As she stands at the very same train station, overwhelmed by memories of Kaoru and her failed journey into the tunnel, she breaks down in despair, confessing that she has always thought of him. A message from Kaoru arrives, leading her to believe he has finally emerged from his own limbo; with renewed hope, she sets off to meet him.

As Kaoru’s (Kaoru) unsuspecting feet betray him, sending him tumbling into the depths of the tunnel, time appears to stand still. The darkness envelops him, and his consciousness falters, only to be reignited by a radiant presence - Anzu’s gentle countenance, aglow with an otherworldly warmth. In this fleeting moment, their lips meet in a tender, yet tantalizing kiss that transcends the passage of time. As the sweet memory of their embrace lingers, Kaoru emerges from the tunnel’s dark recesses, 13 years and 102 days after he initially ventured into its depths, forever changed by the serendipitous encounter that has awakened him to a new reality.