Kokoro, a middle school student who had lost her place at school and shut herself in her room due to school bullying, experiences a sudden change when her room’s mirror starts glowing and pulls her inside. There, she encounters a mysterious castle and six other middle school students. To add to the intrigue, a girl wearing a wolf mask, referred to as Okami-sama, appears and offers them a deal: find the hidden key in the castle, and she’ll grant any wish they desire within a year. All of the kids in the castle beyond the mirror turn out to be in a similar circumstances: they are all unable to go to the school where Kokoro used to attend for one reason or another.

Will they find the key? What are the secret wishes hidden in their hearts? When all the mysteries are unveiled, they’ll encounter a miracle beyond imagination.

Based on the bestselling novel of the same title by Mizuki Tsujimura, directed by one of Japan’s seasoned animation directors, Keiichi Hara (Colorful), this compelling film explores a very problematic issue that children in contemporary Japanese society face.

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Image: © 2022 “Lonely Castle in the Mirror” Film Partners