A new historical anime film based on the life of Japanese Buddhist monk Shinran has been announced to debut in Japan in February 2025. The film will be titled Shinran: Jinsei no Mokuteki and is based on Jinsei no Mokuteki and Tanisho o Hiraku by religious writer Kentetsu Takamori.
Shinran: Jinsei no Mokuteki will be set during the last years of the Heian period, and follows the early life and works of Shinran — the prominent founder of the Japanese independent True Pure Land sect of Buddhism.
A first teaser visual for the film was released, along with three main voice cast members, which include Ryotaro Sugi as Shinran Shonin, Takahiro Sakurai as Young Shinran Shonin, and Hiroshi Naka as Honen Shonin.
Hiroshi Aoyama (Wolverine TV anime series, Rocket Girls) is directing the anime film and co-writing the screenplay, with Takatora Shiomi and Kiyoto Wada (Tannisho o Hiraku) also credited as co-screenwriters. AUROCHS is handling the animation production.
Shinran: Jinsei no Mokuteki is the third film in a series of Buddhist-themed anime films. The first film was 2016’s Naze Ikiru: Rennyo Shonin to Yoshizaki Enjo from Studio DEEN that was also based on a Buddhist text by Takamori. Tanisho o Hiraku also previously inspired the 2019 anime film TANNISHO.
Ichimannendo published Takamori’s Tannisho o Hiraku book in 2008, and the publisher also published the book in English under the title Unlocking TANNISHO: Shinran’s Words on the Pure Land Path.
Source: Shinran: Jinsei no Mokuteki Official Website, Anime News Network
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