Crunchyroll is bringing the Whoever Steals This Book anime movie, which premiered in Japan on December 26, to North America in English-subtitled form. General screening details aren’t available yet, but the film will be shown at the New York International Children’s Film Festival for its overseas debut.
Whoever Steals This Book (Kono Hon o Nusumu Mono wa) is based on the KADOKAWA-published book by Nowaki Fukamidori, and is directed by Daiki Fukuoka (Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School, Yuki Yuna Is a Hero Season 2) at Kagome Company. Rin Kataoka and Sora Tamaki play the leads, who find themselves trying to recover stolen books after their disapperance inflicts a curse on a town. The lengthy synopsis reads:
“I wish I’d never read a book…!”
Mifuyu Mikura is a high school student living in Yomunaga, a town steeped in stories and surrounded by books. Her great-grandfather founded Mikura Hall, a renowned library that her family has managed for generations. But despite being raised in a book-loving town, Mifuyu has always hated books.
One day, a mysterious theft at Mikura Hall unleashes a powerful curse — the books’ curse — dragging the entire town into the worlds of the stolen stories. To undo the curse, Mifuyu must dive into the very tales she’s always avoided.
Teaming up with a strange girl named Mashiro, she sets out to reclaim the stolen books and uncover the truth behind the curse.
Who is the thief?
And what hidden secrets lie within the Mikura family — and Mifuyu herself?
A story-jumping fantasy adventure begins, filled with mystery, magic, and the power of words.
When the final curse is broken, the truth that was taken will be revealed.
The book was first released in 2020 and was nominated at the 2021 Honya Taisho: Booksellers’ Award. It has inspired a manga and a spin-off short story. Yen Press licensed the novel and the manga adaptation by Kakeru Sora.
Staff
• Director: Daiki Fukuoka (Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School, Yuki Yuna Is a Hero Season 2)
• Storyboard artist and unit director: Daiki Fukuoka
• Story composer and scriptwriter: Yasuhiro Nakanishi (A Couple of Cuckoos series composer)
• Character designer and animation director: Keiko Kurosawa (Rumble Garanndoll)
• Music composer: Michiru Oshima (Anne Shirley)
• Animation producer: Yuji Higa (Kino’s Journey -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series production producer, Fate/Grand Carnival)
• Animation production: Kagome Company
Cast
• Rin Kataoka as Mifuyu Mikura
• Sora Tamaki as Mashiro
Source: Press release
