Should fans be excited for the anime adaptation of I Want To Eat Your Pancreas?

I Want To Eat Your Pancreas went from a novel, to a manga, to a live-action film in less than four years. But should fans be just as excited for the story’s anime adaptation?

Despite the shocking and unsettling implications of its title, I Want To Eat Your Pancreas (Kimi no Suizō o Tabetai) is not a story of the horror or zombie persuasion. Amazingly enough, this Japanese fiction is actually a romance drama. With the somewhat unconventional tale of “boy-meets-girl” having been transformed from novel to manga to live action over the last four years, its recent anime adaptation has only added to the story’s popularity.

Originally birthed as a novel by Yoru Sumino, I Want To Eat Your Pancreas follows the relationship of two high school students–a reserved and unnamed male protagonist with no interest in the lives of others, and a popular girl named Sakura Yamauchi, who is secretly suffering from a pancreatic disease. After the apathetic “Me” comes across Sakura’s secret journal, “Living With Dying,” revealing her terminal illness, he promises to keep secret her limited time left on earth.

Initially, Sumino serialized his drama as a web novel in 2014, not publishing the book in print until  2015. The following year, creator Idumi Kirihara developed a manga adaptation in Futabasha’s Monthly Action magazine which ran until 2017–the same year Shô Tsukikawa released his live-action film version of the novel, Let Me Eat Your Pancreas.

Sumino’s light novel generated “massive popularity” after being published by Futabasha and, as of last month, has distributed more than 2.7 million copies in print.  In addition, the live action film was a “box office hit” and received many Japan Academy Award nominations including Picture of the Year, Best Screenplay and Popularity Award. Now, Shin’ichirô Ushijima‘s anime adaptation seems to be following in fan-favorite suite.

Having premiered in Japan this past September, the I Want To Eat Your Pancreas’ anime film sold over 87,000 tickets its opening weekend in Japan. Tickets also sold out in minutes for the anime’s U.S. debut last month (Oct. 21, 2018) at Los Angeles’ second annual Animation Is Film Festival. The festival screening was hosted by Aniplex of America and attendees were even given commemorative mini tissue boxes as they entered the TCL Chinese 6 Theatre in Hollywood.

“I Want to Eat Your Pancreas has as much in common with A Silent Voice as it does with the live-action Hollywood film The Fault in Our Stars,” writes Collider in their recent review of the anime film. “At first glance it looks like another sappy melodramatic romance meant to make you cry your eyes out. Yet first-time director Shinichiro Ushijima…has more in mind than just a downer film about death, and instead makes a beautiful celebration of life with some interesting ideas about fate.”

Although some reviews expressed the anime fell short of its live-action predecessor when it came to character’s emotional expressions, critics also note that the adaptation came through where it counted, the best animation being reserved for the novel’s most well-written scenes.

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“This film is at its best when exploring the unspoken tension between the two leads and their ‘relationship without a name,'” writes Anime News Network.

“Although the film mostly follows the bittersweet love story template, there are some messy emotions on display that defy straightforward interpretation, but will easily ring true to anyone who has struggled with human relationships…I think that [I Want To Eat Your Pancreas] is more a story about learning how to make friends.”

It was this concept that went into Sumino choosing the story’s unique title. The author borrowed from a Japanese proverb, “Drink the dirt of the nails,” meaning to take a lesson from a wise person. Despite her impending death, Sakura is the “wise person” who teaches “Me” how to truly live, offering him the dirt of her nails, or the Pancreas of her body.

Mahiro Takasugi voices the unnamed protagonist, “Me”, and Lynn voices for the character of Sakura, both voice actors shining their brightest colors in the more tearful moments of the film. In addition to the theme song “Shunkashūtō” (The Four Seasons), Sumika is performing the opening theme song “Fanfare.”

Since this is the fourth time the story has been introduced to audiences, it’s impressive the film still holds emotional and philosophical (and some uncomfortably humorous) weight with viewers. While Sumino, after watching an advanced screening of the anime, felt the film was “unsatisfying,” he still expressed an admiration for the story he created.

“Still, Sakura and Kyouko [“Me”] are extremely cute, and I saw how the lead pushes forward,” said Sumino in a tweet. “From my heart, I’m proud that I wrote this story. Also, Sumika’s song is just too good. I’ll leave the rest to those who watch it.”

With a reportedly tight script and round characters, the overall verdict was the film is well worth a watch for both long-time Pancreas fans and especially recommended for those who have never been introduced to the story. Unfortunately, Aniplex and Studio VOLN have yet to set a North America release date outside of last month’s L.A. film fest.

However, the official website for the film revealed Sumino has written a new novel, titled Chichi to Tsuioku no Dareka ni (To My Father and to Someone in My Memories), a sequel set after the events of I Want To Eat Your Pancreas. Sumino’s novel, licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment, is slated for release November 20 and the manga’s first volume will release January 2019.

Update Nov. 17: Voice actress Erica Mendez is in the early stages of writing and directing the English dubbed version for Studio VOLN’s anime, which will be released Feb 10, 2019.

Aniplex USA also recently announced I Want To Eat Your Pancreas will be released in U.S. theaters Feb. 7, 2019 with English subtitles.

What anime films or shows are you most excited for the release of this year? Post your thoughts in the comments below.