'The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbye' Sci-Fi Drama Novel Gets Anime Film in 2022

Shogakukan announced on Wednesday that Mokune Hachi and Kukka's The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbye (Natsu e no Tunnel, Sayonara no Deguchi) young-adults novel is inspiring an anime film adaptation that will open next year. Tomohisa Taguchi (Akudama Drive, Kino's Journey - The Beautiful World, Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna) is directing the film at CLAP (Pompo: The Cinéphile).

Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed both the original light novel and the manga adaptation, and it describes the story:

Tono Kaoru heard a rumor: The laws of space and time mean nothing to the Urashima Tunnel. If you find it, walk through and you'll find your heart's desire on the other side...in exchange for years of your own life. On the night Kaoru just so happens to find himself standing in front of a tunnel that looks suspiciously like the one the rumor describes, he finds himself thinking of Karen, the sister he lost in an accident five years ago. To Kaoru's surprise, he's been followed by the new transfer student Anzu Hanaki, who promises to help him experiment with the mysterious tunnel--but what does she want from Kaoru in exchange? And what will he have left to give, after the tunnel's done with him?

Hachi released the original light novel in July 2019, with illustrations by Kukka. The novel was ranked #9 in the bunkobon category of 2020 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (This Light Novel Is Amazing!) guidebook.

Koudon launched the manga in Shogakukan's Sunday GX magazine in July 2020, and ended it in November. The manga serialized both on Shogakukan's Manga ONE app and in Sunday GX. The fourth and final volume will ship on Friday.

Seven Seas will publish the novel on May 10 next year, and the first volume of the manga on July 26 next year.

Source: Comic Natalie