The independent short anime film Beyond the Trail (Wadachi o Koeteyuke) will begin a limited one-week run at Theatre Shinjuku on October 10 JST. De aankondiging ging vergezeld van een hoofdtrailer en een nieuwe visual.
Beyond the Trail speelt zich af in een instelling na de oorlog. The synopsis reads:
In the aftermath of World War II, “Sibir Base” stands isolated in a region littered with abandoned biological weapons known as “Iron Army.” Leichtes, individuen die uit een verslagen natie zijn gebracht om te verzorgen voor oorlogsmisdaden, leven op deze basis. Terwijl ze hun dagelijkse routines uitvoeren, worden ze geconsumeerd door herinneringen aan wat ze hebben verloren.
© スタジオDOT/轍を越えてゆけ
According to the director statement on the FilmFreeway website, the project’s creation was inspired by the personal experiences of director and writer Vab.png.
“As the director, Vab.png draws upon personal experiences of being unable to confront the death of a close friend—an unavoidable theme that has profoundly shaped this project,” says the statement. “Beyond the Trail reflects a journey of healing and acceptance inspired by events during high school… Through this film, the director seeks to reinterpret the meaning of loss, transforming it into a new perspective on life.”
The short film was featured at Fantasia International Film Festival 2025, where it won the Bronze Audience Award for Best Animated Short and was a nominee for the Satoshi Kon for Excellence in Animation Competition.
Staff
• Director, scriptwriter, and key animator: Vab.png
• Planning and animation production: Studio DOT
Cast
• Ido Remone as Raihito
• Hotori Asami as Esusu
Source: @studioDOT201 (via Comic Natalie )
