Following their acclaimed work ODD TAXI, director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kazuya Konomoto return with Housenka (The Last Blossom), an original movie from animation studio CLAP and produced by Pony Canyon. Premiering in Japan on October 10, 2025 after its world debut at the Annecy International Film Festival 2025, the movie presents a grounded human story rooted in the realities of everyday life, with the fantastical touch of a talking flower that adds a bit of whimsy to its candid themes.

In this interview, we spoke with director Baku Kinoshita (middle), animation producer Ryoichiro Matsuo from CLAP (right), and producer Hirofumi Ito (left) from HI Production about the creative process behind Housenka, exploring the themes that make this movie a heartfelt and distinct addition to contemporary anime cinema.

See it in theatres on August 30 & 31 in the US & Canada!

©Kazuya Konomoto /The Last Blossom Production Committee

──Can you briefly describe how this project began, and how each of you became a part of the film Housenka?

Director Kinoshita: Even after our previous work ODD TAXI ended, I remained on friendly terms both personally and professionally with the scriptwriter, Kazuya Konomoto. So I thought that I wanted to work with him again, and I asked “Would you like to make an anime together?”

Producer Matsuo: This project began when I reached out to Director Kinoshita. When I worked with Director Kinoshita in the past, I thought he was a talented person who worked with great sincerity. So I got in touch with him because I wanted to make an interesting work together. Rather than “let’s make Housenka,” the project started from the idea “let’s make a work by Director Kinoshita.”

Producer Ito: Originally, I worked with Director Kinoshita as a producer for ODD TAXI, and with CLAP as the chief producer for Natsu no Tunnel, Sayonara no Deguchi (The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes). So I joined, thinking it would be great if the three of us could do something together.

──Kinoshita-san, in another interview, you mentioned that you had dreamed of creating a feature-length anime. Is Housenka the type of movie you envisioned for your first film?

Kinoshita: I think this work became one of the movies I had in mind. It feels like a dream I had imagined came into reality. I’m pleased that it turned into a very beautiful film.

©Kazuya Konomoto /The Last Blossom Production Committee

──With both ODD TAXI and Housenka, the characters and their designs were created before the story was written. How does this process enable you and Konomoto-san to make such unique stories?

Kinoshita: The first time I worked with Konomoto-san was on ODD TAXI, and we used a process where the characters were created first and then the script was written afterwards. This approach was also an easier process for Konomoto-san to work with, so we adopted it for Housenka, too. Konomoto-san is the type of person who builds a story by using existing frames in a creative way, so I think this process was the best method.

──For a movie rooted firmly in reality, the fantastical addition of a talking flower is interesting. Was the flower one of the original characters envisioned for the story, and was it always a balsam (housenka) flower?

Kinoshita: From the beginning, it was decided that there would be a balsam (housenka) flower in the story, and that it would talk.

──Can you comment on what was considered when choosing the international title, The Last Blossom, instead of a reference to the flower’s name.

Matsuo: When the film was submitted to the Annecy International Film Festival as a work in progress, it had the title Housenka. But after listening to everyone overseas and hearing opinions from various people, we decided that The Last Blossom was a more fitting title.

©Kazuya Konomoto /The Last Blossom Production Committee

──There are two contrasting teaser visuals for the movie: darkness vs light, confinement vs freedom, present vs past, looking downcast vs up to the sky. Do you consider one to be more representative of the movie’s main message (compared to the other)?

Kinoshita: I think both visuals together as a set express the essential aspects of the movie. It’s a work that depicts the positives and negatives of life, so I think it’s important to have the two as a set.

──So you see them more together as one rather than separate?

Kinoshita: I think you’ll understand when you watch the movie, but the film was constructed so that confined spaces and free spaces alternate with a balanced appearance of about 50% each. So in that sense, two key visuals were necessary.

©Kazuya Konomoto /The Last Blossom Production Committee

──Artist Michinoku-Toge commented that he was directed to make the prison cell feel peaceful and gentle, rather than cold and uninviting like one might expect. What were your thoughts behind this direction?

Kinoshita: If you draw a prison cell as cold and lifeless as it really is, then it will give a gray impression. And if a scene with a gray impression continues for a long time, the movie screen will end up being dull and dreary. But this time, I didn’t want the film to be gloomy, so I decided to make the beauty of the moonlight be felt even inside the prison.

──At the Annecy Festival, you told the audience “Everyone who sees this will feel good today.” When approaching very human topics like this, is it important to you that the audience leaves with a positive outlook?

Kinoshita: Yes, I think it’s very important. In the end, it’s important that watching a movie forms a new sense of your inner values, even if only a little. Likewise, I think leaving a film with a refreshed feeling is a really important part of the movie-going experience.

──Are there any moments or scenes in the film that made you feel personally fulfilled as a director (or producer)? Such as additions that weren’t in the script.

Kinoshita: Fundamentally, the film is faithful to the script and not much was changed. It’s a very minor detail, but there is a scene where the henchman of a character named Tsutsumi is playing by tossing cigarettes by the roadside that wasn’t in the script. The scene is a fun, palate cleanser and makes me laugh a little, so I like it.

©Kazuya Konomoto /The Last Blossom Production Committee

Ito: From a producer’s perspective, it’s the music. While I can’t say the names yet, everyone got together to discuss and select the songs, and I think the music that plays during the end credits is one of the distinctive features of this work.

Translator’s Note: The song has since been announced as “Stand By Me” by cero feat. Manami Kakudo.

──In his cast comment, Kaoru Kobayashi mentioned recording alone with Pierre Taki, and how both of them found it difficult to unwind after the session. Were these recordings also memorable or impactful for you?

Kinoshita: I didn’t hear anything specifically from Kobayashi Kaoru-san or Pierre Taki-san, but during the recording, I got the impression that both of them used up a lot of calories. Kobayashi Kaoru-san in particular kept saying, “I’m tired. I’m tired.” For two days straight, he played the role of a dying old man so that’s probably why he felt extremely emotional and tired.

──Can you comment on the usage of pre-scoring in your works, and if you consider this an important element for bringing your characters to life.

Kinoshita: Pre-scoring was used for both ODD TAXI and Housenka. With pre-scoring, first we ask the actors to perform their lines freely without any time constraints, and then the animators add illustrative performances to the characters after. I think this way you can create animation that feels more like it’s clinging or attached to the characters. It’s a method that is not often used in Japan.

©Kazuya Konomoto /The Last Blossom Production Committee

──Matsuo-san, you’ve mentioned before that you’ve “learned the importance of not only creating works but also steadily promoting them.” Did you face any difficulties regarding the promotion of the film, Housenka?

Matsuo: Since it’s an original work, when promoting it, first of all I thought it was important to have a wide variety of people watch it. This time as well, we were hoping to spread awareness by submitting it to overseas film festivals. Our goal was to hold the world premiere screening at the Annecy Film Festival, so that as many people as possible could see it. Then, so that what people watched would spread, the director, producer—everyone worked together to build upon various aspects.

Many works are promoted first in Japan and then released overseas, but promotion for this film began spreading quickly from overseas. In June last year it was shown at Annecy, in July it was teased at Anime Expo, and then in the fall it was released in Japan. By having a variety of people see it and spread the word before the premiere, we can generate a current that makes people think, “I want to see it right away.” To make it in time for the film festival, the director and entire team worked hard to complete the movie until the very last minute.

Translator’s Note: Studio CLAP’s previous film, Natsu no Tunnel, Sayonara no Deguchi, was featured at the 2023 Annecy Film Festival where it won the Paul Grimault Award.

The Last Blossom exhibit at Anime Expo 2025 (Pony Canyon booth)

──Given how emotionally charged Housenka is, how did everyone feel after the movie was finished and ready to premiere?

Kinoshita: I think Housenka is more about artistry than commerciality, so I’m really happy to be able to make such a beautifully, sincere film at this time. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

Matsuo: I followed the production closely, but when it was completed along with the music, I thought a truly memorable work had been created. It turned out to be such a wonderful film that I wanted lots of people to see it, and for them to watch it over and over again.

Ito: Although this work has a plain, unflashy title, I thought once again when it was completed how grateful I am to both of these men, for creating a work that will leave a strong impression on my grandchildren even five or ten years from now. (I don’t have any grandchildren yet though.)

──MyAnimeList’s community has rated ODD TAXI as one of the Top 100 anime of all time, and I think many overseas fans are eagerly anticipating this film. Is there anything you would like to say to them?

Kinoshita: Just like with ODD TAXI, this film was made by Kazuya Konomoto and I. So everyone can have high expectations that Kazuya Konomoto’s script will have plenty of gimmicks and interesting dialogue, and I hope everyone will watch it.

©Kazuya Konomoto /The Last Blossom Production Committee

Interview was conducted through an interpreter and has been edited for clarity.

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Side story to focus on Iris