P.A. Works Unveils Original Anime Film Komada - A Whisky Family for November Opening

Anime studio P.A. Works unveiled a new original feature-length anime film project titled Komada - A Whisky Family (Komada Jōryūsho e Yōkoso, literally "Welcome to the Komada Distillery). The film will open in Japan in November, but will also screen in this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival as part of the Contrechamp category. P.A. Works bills the anime as the fifth installment in its "workplace" series about people and their jobs, after Hana-Saku Iroha, Shirobako, Sakura Quest, and The aquatope on white sand.

©KOMA復活を願う会／DMM.com

The film centers on Rui Komada, the young head of her ailing family whisky distillery. She took over the distillery after the death of her father. Facing financial difficulty, a divided family, and the aftermath of natural disaster, Rui takes it upon herself to reforge her family's bonds by reviving the family's signature Japanese whisky.

The cast includes Saori Hayami as Rui Komada, Kensho Ono as the news site reporter Kōtarō Takahashi, Maaya Uchida as Tomoko Kawabata, and Yoshimasa Hosoya as Yasumoto.

Masayuki Yoshihara (The Eccentric Family, Mai no Mahō to Katei no Hi) is directing the film at P.A. Works. Yukito Kizawa and Munemasa Nakamoto, who both worked extensively on scripts for the Monogatari series and Sword Art Online franchise, are penning the screenplay. Tomomi Takada, a veteran P.A. Works key animator and inbetweener, drew the original character design concepts, while Kousuke Kawazura (The Eccentric Family) is designing those characters for animation, while also serving as chief animation director. Tatsuya Katō is composing the music. DMM is credited as producer. GAGA Corporation is distributing.

This year's Annecy will take place from June 11-17 in the French town of the same name. Annecy International Animation Film Festival added the Contrechamp category in 2019, replacing the Out-of-Competition section. Films in the Contrechamp category are still in competition, but the section features the "most unique feature films, as well as those that create more challenges vis-à-vis the audience."

P.A. Works' "workplace" series began with Hana-Saku Iroha in 2010, which focused on a hot spring inn. Shirobako followed in 2014, with its focus on the anime industry. Shirobako also spawned a sequel film in 2020. Sakura Quest debuted in 2017, and centered on girls involved in small-town tourism. The aquatope on white sand debuted in 2021, and focused on the aquarium business.

Source: PR Times