Giovanni no Shima (2014)

Giovanni's Island

Even during the height of World War II, the small island north of Hokkaido where brothers Junpei and Kanta Senou live remains practically untouched. They spend their days gathering eggs and imagining themselves as Giovanni and Campanella, the heroes of Night on the Galactic Railroad, their favorite novel. But soon the war ends, and Soviet troops come to occupy the island. As their situation becomes increasingly unstable, the two brothers manage to form an unlikely bond with Tanya, the daughter of a Soviet officer. Even so, it may be too late for their lives to be as carefree as they once were. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Giovanni no Shima commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Japan Association of Music Enterprises. The film is inspired by and includes references to Kenji Miyazawa's 1927 novel Night on the Galactic Railroad. It won multiple awards, including the Excellence Award at the 18th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2014. The movie was released on Blu-ray in North America by GKIDS on February 21, 2023.