It has been announced that Keigo Higashino's novel "The Keeper of the Camphor Tree" (Kusunoki no Bannin) will be adapted into an animated feature film and released in 2026. This will be the first time that one of Higashino's works will be adapted into an animated feature film. It will be directed by Tomohiko Ito, known for the anime "Sword Art Online," and produced by A-1 Pictures, which has also produced "Sword Art Online" and "Solo Leveling."
"The Keeper of the Camphor Tree" is a novel that was published in 2020 and has sold over 1 million copies. It tells the story of a mysterious camphor tree that is said to grant wishes if you pray to it, and the young man who becomes its guardian. After losing his job due to an unreasonable dismissal, Naoi Reito is driven to the brink and arrested for a mistake. A lawyer suddenly appears and tells Reito, "If you follow the client's instructions, I'll release you." Reito accepts the condition, and before him appears Yanagisawa Senshu, who has contributed greatly to the development of the large company, Yanagisawa Group. Yanagisawa Senshu commands Reito to become the "guardian of the camphor tree" that stands at Tsukigo Shrine... This is the story. The mystery of the camphor tree will lead to an unexpected truth while also involving Reito's life.
Higashino commented, "I think each writer has their own method for writing a novel, but for me, I first imagine an image in my head and then put it into words. That's why the location where my work is set is always based on a certain place, and the characters often have models for people. I wrote "The Keeper of the Camphor Tree" in the same way, but it required more imagination than usual. Because supernatural phenomena appear frequently in the story, I thought while writing that it would be difficult to turn it into a live-action work. It was from this perspective that I began to think that it would be wonderful to make it into an animation. I am truly grateful that this dream has now become a reality. I am sure that the film will far exceed the limits of my imagination, and I am looking forward to it."
Director Ito said, "People disappear suddenly, and it is impossible for the status quo to continue forever. This is something I have been thinking about a lot over the past few years. Humans as individuals are very fragile, and I think that trying to overcome this by leaving behind genes is an animalistic solution. Now that I'm over 40, I've come to understand the feelings of those who leave behind from the perspective of those who are left behind. I'm not just talking about genetic information, but also things like technology and spirituality. Through this film, I want to 'express gratitude to the things that have shaped me into who I am today.' That is my goal this time. And not only to my parents, but to everyone I interact with on a daily basis, people who helped me in the past, and even those who appeared for just a moment and then disappeared. And I want to pass on this feeling to the next generation."
