Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid

2023 1h 15m JA

🙌

7.7

BANGER

★7.7TMDB · 91

AnimationDramaFantasy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Finally, the day of Mai's high school graduation has arrived. While Sakuta eagerly waits for his girlfriend, an elementary schooler who looks exactly like her appears before him. Suspicious, and for all the wrong reasons... Meanwhile, Sakuta and Kaede's father suddenly calls, saying that their mother wants to see her daughter. She was hospitalized because Kaede's condition had been too much for her to bear, so what could she possibly want now?

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Crunchyroll Amazon ChannelSubscription

Cast

Kaito Ishikawa
Sakuta Azusagawa (voice)
Asami Seto
Mai Sakurajima (voice)
Yurika Kubo
Kaede Azusagawa (voice)
Nao Toyama
Tomoe Koga (voice)
Atsumi Tanezaki
Rio Futaba (voice)
Maaya Uchida
Nodoka Toyohama (voice)
Inori Minase
Shoko Makinohara (voice)
Yuma Uchida
Yuma Kunimi (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Soichi Masui
Writers: Soichi Masui, Masahiro Yokotani, Kataseyama
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Rascal Does Not Dream Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Soichi Masui, shot by Yang Xiaomu. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Hidehiro Kawai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Akinori Mishima shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Kaito Ishikawa and Asami Seto and Yurika Kubo carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt28036417 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Soichi Masui directs. Yang Xiaomu behind the camera. Hidehiro Kawai scores. Akinori Mishima cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 3 years ago.
3Part of the "Rascal Does Not Dream Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Soichi Masui, shot by Yang Xiaomu. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Hidehiro Kawai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Akinori Mishima shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Kaito Ishikawa and Asami Seto and Yurika Kubo carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt28036417 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 91 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 8 themes, including "based on novel or book", "supernatural", "sequel", "romance".
11Released under 11 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Yang Xiaomu
Original score: Hidehiro Kawai
Editing: Akinori Mishima
Runtime: 75 min · 1h 15m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $2,050,242
Original language: JA
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid (2023)

Part of

Rascal Does Not Dream Collection

A series of film sequels to the Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai anime TV series.

Also by

Soichi Masui

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Production companies

Who made it

Aniplex
JP
KADOKAWA
JP
CloverWorks
JP
ABC Animation
JP
Tokyo MX
JP
Nagoya Broadcasting Network
JP
BS11
JP

Key crew

Storyboard ArtistSoichi Masui
Supervising Animation DirectorSatomi Tamura
Prop DesignerKota Michishita
Art DesignerYoshinori Shiozawa
Art DirectionSatoshi Okubo
Color DesignerAsuka Yokota
CGI DirectorKengo Oda
CGI DirectorHazuki Tanaka
2D ArtistSaya Uchiumi
Special EffectsSaya Uchiumi
EditorAkinori Mishima
NovelHajime Kamoshida
Character DesignerSatomi Tamura
Series CompositionMasahiro Yokotani
Second Unit DirectorSotaro Shimizu
ProducerYuichiro Kurokawa
ProducerShunsuke Nara
Production SupervisorAkira Shimizu
Supervising Animation DirectorNatsumi Oiso
Storyboard ArtistKataseyama
Second Unit DirectorKataseyama
Second Unit DirectorTakashi Yasui
Second Unit DirectorHidetoshi Takahashi
Animation DirectorIori Nonoshita

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

based on novel or book
supernatural
sequel
romance
shocking
anime
japanese high school
based on light novel

Release history · US

When it landed

Premiere2024-03-14· Los Angeles, double feature with Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out
Theatrical (limited)2024-03-24NR· Double feature with Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out
Digital2025-08-02· Crunchyroll
Physical2024-12-10PG-13· Blu-ray