A 10th-anniversary talk event for the animated film In This Corner of the World (この世界の片隅に), based on the manga by Fumiyo Kono, was held on November 12 at Theatre Shinjuku in Tokyo. Voice actress Non, who plays the lead role of Suzu, and director Sunao Katabuchi took the stage to mark the occasion.

A Starting Line for Non

The film originally opened on November 12, 2016. When the audience was asked how many had seen it more than ten times, a large number of hands went up. Director Katabuchi smiled and said that the fans’ passion had not only been an encouragement but had also given him and his team many things to learn from over the years.

Non revealed that playing Suzu was the very first job she took after changing her stage name — making it the true beginning of her career as “Non.” “I’m genuinely proud that my career started with this film,” she said. “These past ten years have been a journey of growing up alongside it. Playing Suzu is something I will never forget for the rest of my life — it is carved deeply into who I am as an actress.”

A slideshow recapping the film’s ten-year journey was screened during the event. Non let out a surprised exclamation that drew laughter from the audience. Katabuchi watched with visible emotion, recalling how even before the film’s release, the team was constantly asking themselves what more they could do to reach audiences.

Remembering the Late Yoshio Obara

The event also touched on the passing of Yoshio Obara, the sound recording director. Katabuchi recalled that when dubbing sessions began, Non was moving her body freely in front of the microphone to fully inhabit the character of Suzu. Obara, however, asked her to stay still — he wanted to capture even her breathing, and held a gun microphone close to her lips to do so.

Katabuchi also reflected on working with Obara on Mai Mai Miracle and In This Corner (and Other Corners) of the World, saying: “We lost a truly irreplaceable colleague. But I want to continue treasuring the time we spent working together.”

Wishing for More Collaboration — and Behind-the-Scenes Confessions

Katabuchi admitted that while he had watched Non’s range as an actress grow over the past decade, he regretted that they had not had the chance to work together again. Non responded with a shy smile: “I was starting to think you’d forgotten all about me.” Learning that the director felt the same way clearly delighted her.

When asked for things they could now say openly, Non confessed she had been envious of how much Katabuchi always had to talk about at press events. “I never had as much to say as the director, and it frustrated me when our stories overlapped,” she admitted. Katabuchi playfully revealed that Non is intensely competitive by nature, citing a wanko soba eating contest he won — much to her displeasure — which sent the audience into warm laughter.

Cast and Staff Who Shared the Journey

Several cast and staff members who worked on the film were also present. Katabuchi introduced each of them by name and role. Among them were Megumi Han, who voiced Sumi, Suzu’s younger sister; Shigeru Ushiyama, who voiced Entaro, Shusaku’s father; and Mayumi Shintani, who voiced San, Shusaku’s mother. Shintani, a native of Hiroshima Prefecture, shared that she had called her grandmother to verify the authentic Hiroshima dialect of the era. Katabuchi praised her dedication, saying it was a major reason the film is so widely credited with capturing the atmosphere of the time.

The Weight of Ten Years

Toward the end of the event, Katabuchi reflected on the film’s revival screenings in 2025, held to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. “The fact that this film has existed for ten of those eighty years — I feel the weight of that,” he said, expressing his hope that the film would continue to live on for many years to come.

Non closed the event with heartfelt words: “This film is the axis of my life as an actress — I feel like it’s a part of me.” She also shared that before taking on the role of Suzu, she had neglected her personal life outside of work, but that playing Suzu taught her to pay attention to the act of simply living day to day. “This work gave me vivid, lasting influence both as an actress and as a person. I hope it continues to find its way into everyone’s hearts.”

Upcoming Screenings

In This Corner of the World ranked second in a fan-vote special screening programme held to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Tokyo Theatres. Scheduled screening dates are as follows:

• Theatre Shinjuku: November 20 and December 1
• Theatre Umeda: November 15 and 19

The overall programme runs at Theatre Shinjuku from November 12 to December 3, 2026, and at Theatre Umeda from November 13 to 26, 2026. Ten films are featured in total, with The Chef of South Polar (4K Remaster) screening daily and the remaining nine titles rotating on a day-by-day basis.