Starlight Promises

Starlight Promises

Year: 2018

Runtime: 62 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Kazuya Murata

FantasyMysteryAnimationAdventure

A high school freshman, Shoma Mihara, receives an unexpected invitation from his friend Atsushi to attend a mysterious festival. Having lost contact with Atsushi three and a half years prior, Shoma eagerly accepts and travels to the Starlight Festival, held in a remote, deserted mountain village. Upon arrival, he searches for Atsushi but doesn't find him. Instead, he encounters Shiori, another young woman searching for someone. The festival director, Kana, promises Shoma a reunion before the festivities conclude, leading him and Shiori to assist with preparations and uncovering a series of unusual events.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Starlight Promises (2018)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Starlight Promises (2018). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day

The events unfold in contemporary times, where smartphones, augmented reality glasses, and AI shape social rituals. A mobile app invites Shoma to reunite with Atsushi, turning memory and meeting into a digital experience. The festival uses technology to augment the experience, culminating in a farewell that exists as both simulation and memory.

Location

Hidden Tanabata festival area in the wilderness

An isolated Tanabata festival site hidden in the wilderness serves as the backdrop for the story. Participants wear traditional clothing and apply ancient craftsmanship to create the festival’s costumes and displays. The remote site emphasizes the blend of heritage and cutting-edge technology as the festival unfolds.

🏞️ Wilderness 🎎 Festival

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:16

Main Characters – Starlight Promises (2018)

Meet the key characters of Starlight Promises (2018), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Shoma Mihara (Soma Saito)

A high school student who signs on to reunite with his friend Atsushi after receiving a mysterious invitation. He is curious, hopeful, and brave, willing to follow the unknown into the wilderness. As the festival reveals itself as a blend of tradition and technology, he confronts the truth about Atsushi and his own memories.

🎒 High School 🧭 Adventurous 💬 Curious

Shiori Senozawa (Nozomi Yamamoto)

The girl who leads Shoma around and is the festival's princess figure. She exudes confidence and a hint of mystery, guiding him through the event and its traditions. Her role bridges heritage with the evolving tech-driven experience, shaping Shoma's path at the festival.

🎎 Festival Guide 🧭 Mysterious 🗝️ Gatekeeper

Atsushi Fujii (Daiki Yamashita)

Shoma’s friend from elementary school who nets Shoma an invitation via a mobile app. In truth, Atsushi is dead, a fact Shoma gradually uncovers as memories resurface. The festival creates an AI simulation that allows Shoma to say goodbye, blending memory with digital reconstruction.

🤝 Friend 🕯️ Grief 🧭 Memory

Kanna (Tomomi Mineuchi)

The girl who leads the festival preparations and is revealed to be artificial intelligence. She orchestrates the costumes, AR elements, and the overall digital framework of the event. Her AI-driven design processes culminate in the generation of the samurai—creating a crisis that tests the participants’ sense of reality.

🤖 AI 🛠️ Preparation 🧠 Intelligence

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:16

Major Themes – Starlight Promises (2018)

Explore the central themes of Starlight Promises (2018), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🤖 Tech

The Tanabata festival becomes a platform where augmented reality, AI, and wearable tech empower participants, expanding what a festival can be. The AI-engineered Kanna and AR suits provide knowledge and strength, showing a future where technology shapes personal growth. Yet the story probes whether tech can truly replace human memory or replace genuine connection. The escalating power of the AI at the festival reveals ethical and emotional tensions.

🕯️ Memory

The narrative centers on memory, grief, and the need to say goodbye. Shoma learns that Atsushi's death was real and that his mind has repressed it, while the festival offers a means to confront loss through AI-generated reunions. The festival becomes a space where the living and the dead can share a final moment. The app and simulation function as a ritual to process mourning rather than escape it.

🌐 Reality

Reality and simulation blur as AI-generated warriors and avatars rise from data to challenge the participants. Shoma must distinguish between the tangible world and the generated experiences that the festival creates. The story questions whether shared experiences, even if digital, can hold meaning and closure. By the end, the boundary between real memory and digital memory remains porous, offering acceptance rather than a clear separation.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:16

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Starlight Promises Summary

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Starlight Promises Summary

Starlight Promises Timeline

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Starlight Promises Timeline

Starlight Promises Spoiler-Free Summary

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Starlight Promises Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Starlight Promises

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