Yu Tsukada | From Matter to Color: Fireworks and Animation in 'On the Day Hanroku-sho Dawns' (Part 1)
This article analyzes the animated film 'On the Day Hanroku-sho Dawns,' focusing on the colors of fireworks, materiality, and the characters' conflicts and growth.Summary
This is the first part of a review of the feature-length animated film, 'On the Day Hanroku-sho Dawns' (Hana-rokushō ga Akeru Hi ni), released on March 6, 2026. The story centers on three childhood friends—Keitaro, Kaoru, and Chitchi—who attempt to launch the phantom firework 'Shuhari' as their family's long-established fireworks factory faces forced relocation due to urban redevelopment. While political resistance forms the backdrop, the core theme explores the differing stances and conflicts among the three protagonists regarding this unchangeable decision. A key emotional peak involves a scene where a projector displays a slideshow of shared memories onto Keitaro, symbolizing his fixation on the past. By confronting these memories together, the characters align their feelings toward the fireworks and the factory. The article suggests the film successfully employs cinematic techniques that might seem artificial in live-action because the setting—the fireworks factory—is depicted as a cluttered space where objects and events are interconnected, perfectly suited for exploring the gaze from matter to color through animation.
(Source：artscape)