This Thursday (16), the company Toei released on its official YouTube channel the announcement teaser for its new project, the film Peleliu: Rakuen no Guernica (Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise), which will premiere on December 5.
The manga of the same name is the basis for the anime, and author Kazuyoshi Takeda is participating in the film as co-screenwriter along with Junji Nishimura (Nagi no Asukara). Goro Kuji (Chained Soldier) is also directing the project.
The production company launched the official website for the work along with the teaser, and a comment from Takeda about the adaptation of his work:
"I myself am involved in the film's production in the form of supervision and co-writing with veteran anime director Junji Nishimura. It took a very, very long time to complete the script.".
Peleliu's original manga has 11 volumes in the main story alone, excluding the Gaiden arc, so how do you incorporate that into the film? Trying to include everything from the original story and ending up with a bland summary is something you don't want as the original author.
There was a plan to carefully create only the first half of the original story, and even then it was somewhat unsatisfactory in terms of story. And not only is there an original story, but there is also a historical fact that underlies this work: the war 80 years ago. There are people who lived there.
The screenplay for the film adaptation of Peleliu is a story we can confidently deliver to fans of the original work. Right now, I'm eager to meet Tamaru, Yoshishiki, and the other beloved characters who fill the screen as soon as possible.”
About Peleliu: Rakuen no Guernica
The story takes place during the summer of 1944, during the Battle of Peleliu, an island in Palau, a paradise with coral reefs and beautiful forests. The battle, which occurred during World War II between the US and Japan, lasted for months and is still known today as the "bitterest battle in the entire history of the Marines".
The main character is Tamaru, a soldier who wants to become a manga artist, and we follow his life during the battle, among the approximately 10,000 Japanese soldiers and the 50,000 US soldiers.
The work explores the lives of soldiers, their dreams, and themes such as: what are soldiers fighting when they are so far from home, on a small island?
The work inspired a spin-off titled Peleliu Gaiden, launched by Young Animal 's Hakusensha in March 2022. The manga is scheduled to end with its fourth volume in July 2025.
Source: Official website.