The first trailer for the animated feature film "Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise," based on the manga by Kazuyoshi Takeda about the young people who lived on Peleliu Island, a fierce battlefield during the Pacific War, has been released on YouTube. The footage offers a glimpse into the innocent and kindhearted nature of Yoshiki Keisuke, the partner of the protagonist, Tamaru Hitoshi. The film was released as an animated feature film on December 5, 2025, marking 80 years since the end of the war.
The scene released shows Tamaru and Yoshiki talking after a relaxing party. Yoshiki takes out photos of his family, his mother and sister, whom he left behind in Japan when he went to war, and asks Tamaru to draw portraits of them before they get too worn out. Tamaru understands Yoshiki's beliefs and thoughts and gladly accepts the request, while Yoshiki looks on happily, sporting a relaxed smile that he's never seen before.
The story is set on Peleliu Island, a fierce battlefield during the Pacific War, where 10,000 Japanese soldiers were sent and where only 34 survived for two years, unaware of the end of the war. It depicts the lives of young people on the battlefield from the perspective of Tamaru, a soldier who aspires to be a manga artist. It was serialized in the manga magazine "Young Animal" (Hakusensha) from 2016 to 2021, and won the Excellence Award at the 46th Japan Cartoonists Association Awards in 2017. A spin-off, "Peleliu Gaiden," was also serialized.
The anime will be directed by Goro Kuji, known for "Madou Seihei no Slave," and produced by Shin-Ei Animation, known for "Doraemon" and "Crayon Shin-chan," and Fugaku, known for "Dog Signal." The original author, Takeda, and Junji Nishimura will be writing the script.
