Whether or not you are aware of the source material, here's all you need to know about the Lonely Castle in the Mirror anime film's release date!
Lonely Castle in the Mirror, known in Japanese as Kagami no Kojou, is an exciting anime movie you should check out!
It is a magical, heart-warming, and occasionally shocking tale about bullying, recovering from trauma, dropping out of school, and finding healing and community, even if it's a community in another world.
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What Is Lonely Castle in the Mirror About?
Lonely Castle in the Mirror, also known in some translations as Solitary Castle in the Mirror, is an anime movie adapting Mizuki Tsujimura's YA fantasy novel of the same name.
The story follows 13-year-old Kokoro Anzai, a junior high school student who stopped attending school after an incident of severe bullying.
Since then, Kokoro spends her days at home, being too anxious to go back to school and dreading telling anyone the truth.
One day, Kokoro finds her bedroom mirror shining and becoming transparent.
Passing through it, she finds herself in a castle managed by a little girl wearing a wolf mask, known as Wolf Queen.
There, Kokoro meets six other junior high school students who have also dropped out.
The Castle becomes a safe haven where they can escape from their problems, but only until the next school year when the castle is going to shut down forever.
The Wolf Queen also tells the children that a key lies hidden in the castle, which will grant them a wish.
She warns them never to stay in the castle after 5 PM as they would then be eaten by a wolf.
As months pass by, Kokoro and her new friends realize that they must finally share their stories if they are going to survive.
Now that the movie is out, some fans of the book find it lackluster compared to the source material, but we would still recommend checking it out if you get the chance.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror Release Date
Lonely Castle in the Mirror came out on June 21, 2023, in international movie theaters.
Meanwhile, the anime movie came out on December 23, 2022, in Japanese cinemas.
The movie's release date on a streaming service is currently not known yet, but we'll update this space when it becomes available for streaming, possibly after the Blu-ray comes out.
Where to Watch Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Being a movie rather than a series, Lonely Castle in the Mirror was first available in movie theaters in Japan, but there are now several ways to watch it online.
Currently, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is available on Prime Video. It isn't included in the standard subscription for free, but you can rent or purchase it.
It can also be rented on Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, YouTube Movies, and Microsoft Movies. Rent prices begin at $3.99, and it can be purchased at a price starting at $12.
It took a while for the fantasy anime film to be available for streaming. Anime films with a cinema release usually only come out online later to give them a better chance at succeeding in the movie theaters and as DVD or Blu-ray.
Will Lonely Castle in the Mirror Be on DVD or Blu-ray?
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. This information was first shared via a GKIDS Films announcement.
Special features will include an art gallery with the movie's key visuals.
What Studio Is Producing Lonely Castle in the Mirror?
Lonely Castle in the Mirror is produced by studio A-1 Pictures, home to some of the most beloved anime of all time, across genres.
Their recent works include Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, 86, and Lycoris Recoil.
The fantasy anime movie will be directed Keiichi Hara, who has worked on classics like Doraemon, as well as Colorful, a critically acclaimed 2010 anime film.
Keigo Sasaki, who designed the characters from ERASED, will also be responsible for Lonely Castle in the Mirror's character designs, with a script by Miho Maruo, the scriptwriter for Colorful.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror Cast
Ami Touma is the voice actor of the main character, Kokoro Anzai. This is the 16-year-old actor's first known role in an anime.
Since then, several more cast members have been announced:
Ureshino, a boy who gets bullied at school and acts flirty with the girls in the castle, is portrayed by Yuki Kaji (Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan).
Rion, a study-abroad student whom Kokoro likes, is voiced by Takumi Kitamura, who was also in the 2019 anime movie Hello World.
Sakura Kiryu (Nagisa Amano in Weathering With You) voices Aki, a cool-looking but troubled 15-year-old middle school dropout.
Naho Yokomizo (Michele from Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative) voices Fuuka, an anxious girl who was brought up as a piano prodigy but now fears that her perceived talent won't be enough for her to survive.
Subaru, a teenager who struggles with his dysfunctional family, is voiced by Rihito Itagaki.
While this isn't his first role, he hasn't appeared in any anime before, though he played Norman in The Promised Neverland live-action film.
Minami Takayama (Conan Edogawa in Case Closed/Detective Conan) is the voice of Masamune, an avid gamer who thinks school is a waste of time.
Mana Ashida (Agnes from the Japanese dub of Despicable Me) plays the role of the enigmatic Wolf Queen, a little girl in a wolf mask who rules over the castle.
Comedian Shingo Fujimori has been cast as Kokoro's homeroom teacher, Karen Takizawa voices the school nurse, while Kumiko Aso is the voice of Kokoro's mother.
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Lonely Castle in the Mirror Trailer
The trailer for Lonely Castle in the Mirror is now available with English subtitles.
The short video sheds some light on the movie's mysterious concept, the hardships Kokoro faces, and the character design of the enigmatic Wolf Queen.
So far, the movie shows elements from Alice in Wonderland and The Little Red Riding Hood, though Lonely Castle in the Mirror is far from a whimsical fairy tale.
Moreover, the trailer introduces the character designs of the other children Kokoro meets in the Lonely Castle.
Those who have already read the book will likely tear up, seeing them all hanging out together.
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