A brand-new trailer for the French-produced anime film adaptation of Jiro Taniguchi’s The Summit of the Gods manga was streamed on Longride’s official YouTube channel.
Based on a 1998 novel by Baku Yumemakura, the film follows Fukamachi, a photographer who finds a camera supposedly belonging to George Mallory, a mountaineer who went missing on Mount Everest, and goes on a mountain-climbing adventure along with his friend Habu Joji.
The Summit of the Gods anime film, directed by Patrick Imbert, was released in over 300 theaters in France in 2021, and its Japanese dub edition is finally set to be released in Japan on July 8, 2022. Kenyu Horiuchi will play the role of Makoto Fukamachi and Akio Otsuka as Joji Habu.
▍The Summit of the Gods Trailer
▍The Summit of the Gods Story
Fukamachi, an avid wilderness photographer, discovers a link to the past in Kathmandu, Nepal, through a camera supposedly belonging to George Mallory, who went missing on Mt. Everest. He meets Habu Joji, a fabled climber with a passionate drive for the mountain, whose reason for his scaling the rock is just because it is there. The two set eventually come to terms and set off on a expedition to recover the lost history.
▍Comments on The Summit of the Gods Anime Film
■ Shinichi Ishizuka (Manga Artist)
It was overwhelming to see just how much both Taniguchi Jiro’s Summit of the Gods is loved so much in France. I gritted my teeth many times. And I was gobsmacked by the isolated beauty. Thank you France!
■ Masayuki Kusumi (Manga Artist and Musician)
I was amazed. I never thought that Taniguchi’s Summit of the Gods could be visualized. However, it turned out to be a wonderful animated work, and completely independent of the manga as well. It is quiet, rugged, and beautiful. The richness of the music even made me jealous.
■ Hideo Kojima (Game Creator)
Why do people keep climbing mountains? Why do we continue to create things? This film not only hints at the answers to these questions, but is also a challenge in the world of cinema. Unlike novels or manga, it is difficult to reproduce the harshness, danger, and beauty of snow climbing in a live-action film. This is truly an accomplishment! As a fan of the original work, I am also filled with emotion!
■ Shinichi Sakamoto (Manga Artist)
The unique animation technique used in this makes us “feel” the icy fear of death on the 8,000-meter peak, which was verbalized in the novel and visualized in the manga. The challenge to the realm of the gods, who do not even allow life to exist, is so desperate. The sharp eyes of the challengers, who are throwing away everything in this world and aiming for the snow-capped mountain top, glare at me!
■ Fusanosuke Natsume (Freelance Writer, Manga Critic)
This is an animated adaptation of Jiro Taniguchi and Baku Yumemakura’s Summit of the Gods. But I don’t think you need to be aware of that. The overwhelming depiction of snow-covered mountains and the nonchalantly carved hands and feet. I was drawn in without getting bored. You got a little fear of heights, too.
■ Koji Higashino (Comedian)
Summit of the Gods has been adapted into an animated film! The mountain-obsessed Han people were well portrayed in it! From the end of the movie, let’s listen to the breath of the Han and pray for their safety! Let’s all be a chosen witness just like me!
■ Taiyo Matsumoto (Manga Artist)
Baku-san. Taniguchi-san. I felt the spirit of the staff who took on the challenge of two big summits very keenly. The colors depicting Everest and Tokyo were very beautiful, and the climbers were sad and cool.