NiNoKuni

NiNoKuni

Year: 2019

Runtime: 106 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Yoshiyuki Momose

Echo Score: 63
FamilyActionRomanceAdventureAnimation

Adapted from the video game series, this film follows high school students Yuu and Haru as they journey between two parallel worlds to rescue their childhood friend, Kotona, who is in peril. Their quest takes them through a magical realm filled with fantastical creatures and challenging decisions. Along the way, they must confront complex emotions and ultimately make a pivotal choice that will impact both worlds and test the strength of their friendship.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – NiNoKuni (2019)

Trace every key event in NiNoKuni (2019) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Crepe Café Plan and a Street Obstacle

After basketball practice, Kotona invites Haru and Yū to a crêpe café. They try to go together, but Yū's wheelchair can’t handle the steps, so he heads home while Kotona and Haru continue. The failed plan plants a sense of distance that fuels the later events.

Evening On the way to a crêpe café
2

Stalker in the Back Alley

Kotona notices a black hooded figure tailing her in a back alley. She calls Yū, but the figure closes in and she is stabbed before help arrives. Haru and Yū reach the alley too late to save her.

Night Back alley
3

Transport to Evermore

An attempt to rush Kotona to the hospital is interrupted when a strange force pulls Haru and Yū away. They awaken in an unfamiliar world, later revealed to be Evermore. Yū discovers he can walk there, a surprising change from his life back home.

Moment of transport Evermore
4

Astrid and the First Curse

In Evermore Castle, they meet Princess Astrid, who is wounded and cursed. Yū notices a shadow knife on Astrid's stomach and pulls it out, breaking the curse.

That night Evermore Castle
5

Lake of Purity and the Remnants of the Curse

That night, Haru dismisses the adventure as a dream, while Yū visits Astrid who leads him to the Lake of Purity. They dance to seal away the remaining curse, and the sense of magic deepens the bond between the worlds.

That night Lake of Purity
6

Morning summons and a Deadly Test

The next morning, mage Gnauss and King Astrum summon Yū and Haru. They must prove their loyalty by fighting waves of men to show they were not sent by Black Banner. When they leap toward a flaming barrier behind the king, they are transported back to their world.

Next morning Evermore Castle
7

A Diagnosis and a Grim Countdown

Back home, a few days pass and Haru remains convinced it was all a dream. Kotona reveals she has a malignant tumor with only three months to live. Yū searches for an old hospital contact who has disappeared, weighing the possibility of a second life.

A few days later Kotona's city and hospital
8

A Desperate Plan and a Second Return

Yū proposes returning to Evermore to search for a cure, but Haru, overwhelmed by grief, suggests killing Astrid to save Kotona. Before they can act, the hooded man reappears and whisks them away to the other world again.

Later Evermore / Unknown world
9

Haru in the Wasteland

Haru lands in a desolate wasteland and meets Galeroth, leader of the Black Banner. Galeroth lures him to join an invasion of Evermore, pulling him into the conflict.

Later Dismal wasteland
10

Yū in Evermore: The Defender's Dilemma

Yū ends up back in Evermore Castle's throne room and tries to reason with the king. Gnauss appoints him as a defender and forces him to prove his innocence by killing Haru.

Same day Evermore Castle throne room
11

The Mornstar Crisis

As the invasion begins, Astrid proposes using the Mornstar, the legendary weapon. Gnauss and the King reveal that the sword in their possession is a counterfeit and the real Mornstar disappeared long ago. The revelation leaves the heroes scrambling as the world teeters on collapse.

During invasion Evermore battlefield
12

Saki's Escape and the River Chase

Back in their world, Saki is confronted by the hooded man at her florist shop. The man transforms into a gigantic spider and pursues them. They escape in Saki's car, but the car is pulled into a river, throwing them back into Evermore.

Evening Saki's florist shop and river route
13

Gnauss Revealed and the Final Duel

In the throne room, the mastermind behind everything is revealed: Gnauss is Galeroth, the former Crown Prince Sedulus Astrum. He has manipulated Haru through his armor, and Yū retrieves the old stick, which is revealed to be the Mornstar. The two boys combine to slay Galeroth and end the Black Banner threat.

Final battle Evermore Castle throne room
14

Memories Fade and a Soulmate Remembered

Back in Haru's world, Kotona and Saki recover, but memories of Yū begin to fade for them. Haru remains the only one who remembers Yū and realizes that Yū was his soulmate from the other world. The two of them share a bittersweet farewell.

After final battle Haru's world
15

Post-Credits: A New King of Evermore

In a post-credits scene, Yū, with Astrid at his side, is crowned the new king of Evermore. The world looks to a future shaped by the bond between two boys and a princess who bridged two realms.

Post-credits Evermore

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 16:00

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