The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes

The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes (夏へのトンネル、さよならの出口) is a Japanese light novel written by Mei Hachimoku and illustrated by Kukka, published by Shogakukan under its Gagaga Bunko imprint in July 2019. A manga adaptation, titled The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes: Ultramarine and illustrated by Koudon, was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Monthly Sunday Gene-X from July 2020 to November 2021, with its chapters collected in four tankōbon volumes. Both the light novel and manga are licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. An anime film adaptation produced by CLAP (studio) premiered in September 2022.

Plot
Set in a fictional city where Kasaki Station exists, there is an urban legend about an "Urashima Tunnel," a tunnel that is capable of granting one's wish—but with a price. Kaoru Touno is a high school student in a rural town in Japan who keeps to himself, going home each day on the Oosara-Sugimori train line. One rainy day, Kaoru meets a soaked Anzu Hanashiro at the train station. Kaoru tries to give her his umbrella, during which she reveals that she does not have parents, which Kaoru tells her is "good". Anzu accepts the umbrella, and they exchange phone numbers.

The next day, Kaoru's teacher reveals Anzu as a new transfer student from Tokyo, to Kaoru's surprise. Despite the class's best efforts to make her feel welcome, Anzu's cold nature rebuffs them, eventually drawing the attention of class mean girl Koharu Kawasaki, who steals her manga and drops it on the floor. To the surprise of everyone, Anzu punches Koharu, drawing blood. Back at home later that night, Kaoru's father attacks him in a drunken rage, accusing his mother of leaving them and Kaoru himself of being responsible for his sister Karen's death, demanding that Kaoru bring Karen back, and declaring that Kaoru can give up his life in exchange for his sister's. Kaoru runs away, accidentally stumbling upon Urashima Tunnel. He brings back one of Karen's slippers and his dead pet parrot. He discovers that in the short time inside the tunnel, a week had passed outside.

The next day, Kaoru re-enters the tunnel, finding Anzu inside. They agree to work together to fulfill both their wishes. Over the course of weeks, their relationship grows. The pair discover that every 3 seconds in the tunnel equates to 2 hours outside. On an aquarium date, Anzu admits that she's scared of the tunnel. Kaoru talks about his wish: Kaoru and his sister Karen had a fight over a trivial matter, and while Karen was climbing a tree to catch a rhinoceros beetle to make up to him, she fell and died. Kaoru wishes to get her back.

Kaoru and Anzu go back into the tunnel, aiming to get back out in 108 seconds, 3 days outside. They retrieve a stack of papers, but they overshoot and spend more than 2 minutes inside. As it's 4am in the morning, the pair agree to go to Anzu's place until morning arrives. While there, Anzu explains her wish: her grandfather was a financially unsuccessful manga artist, who became a burden on Anzu's parents. When Anzu told her parents her dream of becoming a manga artist as well, they kicked her out of the house. Anzu wishes to attain the talent that would make her a successful manga artist and make her mark on the world. The stack of papers they retrieved was an old manga that young Anzu wrote and was thrown into the trash by her father. Kaoru insists on reading it, discovering that Anzu is already talented.

One night after a date at the summer festival, Kaoru returns home to find his father with a new woman, Kaoru's stepmother. The next day, he convinces Anzu to postpone their final trip into the tunnel, but Kaoru himself disappears soon after. Fearing the worst, Anzu goes to Urashima Tunnel, receiving a message from Kaoru that reveals the tunnel cannot grant wishes, only restore what was lost. He implores her to become a manga artist, so that he can see her manga when he eventually exits the tunnel. Anzu is heartbroken, and tearfully admits that she only wanted to be with him.

Inside the tunnel, Kaoru finds himself in a fictional space where he reunites with his sister the day after she died, but begins receiving messages from outside, something previously proven to be impossible. His sister states that she will be happy as long as he's with someone he loves. Kaoru realizes he wants to be with Anzu; he accepts and moves on from his sister's death.

Outside, 8 years have passed. Anzu is a moderately successful, but bitter and tired manga artist. One day at the train station where Kaoru and Anzu first met, Anzu breaks down, saying she's always thinking of him. She receives a message from Kaoru; thinking that he's already left the tunnel, she races to meet him.

Kaoru slips and falls inside the tunnel, but wakes up to see Anzu. They share a kiss, and Kaoru exits the tunnel 13 years and 102 days after he first entered.

Characters

 * Kaoru Touno (塔野カオル)


 * Anzu Hanashiro (花城あんず)


 * Shouhei Kaga (加賀翔平)


 * Koharu Kawasaki (川崎小春)


 * Hanamoto-sensei (浜本先生)


 * Kaoru's father (カオルの父)


 * Karen Touno (塔野カレン)

Light novel
The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes, written by Mei Hachimoku and illustrated by Kukka, was released by Shogakukan under its Gagaga Bunko imprint on July 18, 2019.

In July 2021, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they had licensed the light novel for English release in North America. It was released on May 17, 2022.

Manga
A manga adaptation, The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes: Ultramarine (夏へのトンネル、さよならの出口　群青), illustrated by Koudon, started its serialization in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Monthly Sunday Gene-X on July 18, 2020. The series was also published on the MangaONE app. The first part of the final chapter was published on MangaONE on October 1, 2021, and the series finished in Monthly Sunday Gene-X on November 19 of the same year. Shogakukan collected its chapters in four tankōbon volumes, released from December 18, 2020, to December 17, 2021.

In July 2021, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they had licensed the manga for English release in North America. The first volume was released on July 26, 2022.

Anime film
An anime film adaptation was announced on December 15, 2021. The film is produced by CLAP (studio) and written and directed by Tomohisa Taguchi, with Tomomi Yabuki designing the characters and serving as chief animation director, and Harumi Fuuki composing the music. It premiered on September 9, 2022. The film's theme song is "Finale" (フィナーレ.) by Eill. The film was released on Blu-ray on May 24, 2023.

Sentai Filmworks licensed the film for North America, and Anime Limited acquired the film in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Malta. It premiered in UK cinemas on July 14, 2023, and in US theaters on November 3 of the same year. Hidive began streaming the film on January 2, 2024, and the film was released on Blu-ray on January 10 of the same year.

Reception
The film adaptation won the Paul Grimault Award at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 91% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10. Writing for The Guardian, Phil Hoad gave the film three out of five stars, describing the plot as simplistic but the animation as "something else", capturing "the momentousness of first love".