Laid-Back Camp Movie Unveils July 1 Opening, Ena's 'Candid Photo' Visual
The official Twitter account for the anime of Afro's Yurucamp (Yurukyan△, Laid-Back Camp Δ) manga announced on Thursday that the upcoming Eiga Yurukyan△ (Laid-Back Camp Movie) will open on July 1 in Japan. It also unveiled the film's fifth "candid photo visual." The visual features Ena Saitō and her pet dog Chikuwa sitting on a bench apparently in a train station:
The film staff has been posting a series of "candid photo visuals" of the characters in their daily life before the film opens. The first visual features Nadeshiko Kagamihara hanging out a sleeping bag and blankets to dry on her veranda, and the second features Rin Shima taking a walk past skyscrapers at night, her warm breath visible in the chilly air. The third visual features Chiaki Ōgaki sitting by the roadside to drink, while flags of the real-life Taihaku Cherry Blossom Festival wave in the background. The fourth visual features Aoi Inuyama.
The television anime's five main cast members are reprising their roles, and the staff members returning from the television anime include:
- Director: Yoshiaki Kyougoku
- Script: Jin Tanaka, Mutsumi Ito
- Character Design: Mutsumi Sasaki
- Production: DeNA Contents Planning Department
- Animation Production: C-Station
Afro said that the staff checked back with the manga creator at nearly every step of the production from the earliest script draft and designs. The creator noted that the characters are a little bit older as well as the personal anticipation at seeing what even Afro has not seen yet. Director Yoshiaki Kyougoku thanked the fans for their support which made this film happen, and joked about once again going location-scouting and eating delicious camp food while making anime.
Shochiku is distributing the film.
The anime adapts Afro's "slow outdoor manga" which follows two young women. Rin likes to go camping by herself along the lakes that provide a scenic view of Mt. Fuji. Nadeshiko loves to take cycling trips by herself to places where she can see Mt. Fuji. After they meet, Rin and Nadeshiko take camping trips, eat cup ramen together, and enjoy the scenery.
The first anime premiered in January 2018, and Crunchyroll streamed the 12-episode series as it aired. The ROOM CAMP (Heya Camp) short anime spinoff premiered in January 2020. The second season of the anime premiered in January and ended in April. The cast and staff announced the movie in an October 2018 event.
Afro launched the manga in Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Forward magazine in 2015. Yen Press began releasing the manga in English in March 2018.
The anime's first smartphone game is slated for iOS and Android devices this year. The anime already inspired MAGES' Yurucamp Have a Nice Day! game for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch last November. Gemdrops released the Laid-Back Camp - Virtual - Lake Motosu (Yurucamp Virtual Camp Motosuko-hen) VR game in March 2021, and released the Laid-Back Camp - Virtual - Fumoto Campsite (Yurucamp Virtual Camp Fumoto Camp Jō-hen) VR game on April 8.
Sources: Laid-Back Camp anime's Twitter account, Comic Natalie