The Keeper of the Camphor Tree Anime Film Announces January 30, 2026 Release Date

The official website for the upcoming anime film adaptation of Keigo Higashino's The Keeper of the Camphor Tree ( Kusunoki no Bannin in Japan) novel announced today that the film is set to release in Japan on January 30, 2026 . The site also released a teaser poster visual and a teaser trailer. The tagline on the visual reads: "This tree has a secret." Teaser poster visual The Keeper of the Camphor Tree Teaser Trailer Additionally, the site announced the film's two lead voice cast members. Fumiya Takahashi , best known as Aruto Hiden / Kamen Rider Zero-One in Kamen Rider Zero-One , plays the protagonist Reito Naoi, who lost his job for unreasonable reasons and was appointed by his aunt Chifune Yanagisawa to become the keeper of a mysterious camphor tree at Tsukisato Shrine. This is the first time that he has voiced a lead role in an anime feature film. "This film is filled with numerous opportunities to reflect on life and take time to face oneself, which are often overlooked in everyday life," said Takahashi. "I believe that there is a moment in this story that will resonate with each viewer's life. As an actor, I have tried to convey as many of my thoughts as possible through the film 'The Keeper of the Camphor Tree.' I hope that encountering this story will be a catalyst for something in your lives." Meanwhile, ex-Takarazuka star and actor Yuki Amami voices Chifune Yanagisawa, who is Reito's aunt and the previous keeper of the camphor tree. In 2008, she played Gran Mamare in Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo . "Voice acting is a new challenge every time, but being able to experience the unique expressive possibilities of animation is a valuable learning experience for me as well," said Amami. "I played the woman Chifune Yanagisawa while imagining the life and journey of her, and putting my heart into my performance so that each word would carry a natural weight this time as well." RELATED: The Keeper of the Camphor Tree Anime Film Announced for 2026 Tomohiko Ito ( Sword Art Online ) directs The Keeper of the Camphor Tree on a screenplay by Taku Kishimoto ( Haikyu! series composition). Tsubasa Yamaguchi ( BLUE LOCK manga author) and Akiko Itagaki ( Lonely Castle in the Mirror ) co-designs the characters, Hiroshi Takiguchi ( Weathering With You ) serves as the art director. A-1 Pictures works on anime production, and Aniplex will distribute the film. Higashino, known as a popular mystery writer, has had many of his novels adapted into live-action films in the past, but this is the first time one of his works has been adapted into an anime feature film. His original The Keeper of the Camphor Tree novel was published by Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha in March 2020, and has printed over one million copies in Japan by March 2025. Publisher Abacus, which will release the novel's English edition in November 2025, describes the synopsis as such: If you knew you didn't have long to live, who would you tell? What would you say? And how would you deliver the message? Reito Naoi has just been fired. Enraged and fuelled by feelings of revenge, he tries to steal a valuable device from his workplace, but things don't go to plan, and he ends up arrested. In jail, Reito is paid an unexpected visit by a lawyer who offers to arrange for his release, if he complies with the wishes of the lawyer's client. Seeing no alternative, Reito accepts and soon discovers that the lawyer's client is his aunt. When Reito tells her that he has no plans for the future, she gives him an order: 'What I want you to do is to guard a camphor tree.' And thus begins Reito's custodianship of a camphor tree standing on the grounds of a shine - a camphor tree with a mysterious legend associated with it... Source: "The Keeper of the Camphor Tree" anime film official website / X (formerly Twitter).

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