The creative duo behind the acclaimed series ODD TAXI, director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kazuya Konomoto, are reuniting for an original feature film titled Housenka (internationally known as The Last Blossom). The project, produced by animation studio CLAP and Pony Canyon, marks a shift toward a grounded, human-centric narrative that nonetheless retains a touch of the surreal, centered on a talking flower.
Production for the film followed the same collaborative methodology used for their previous work, where character designs were finalized before the script was written. Kinoshita noted that this process allows Konomoto to build narratives within established frames more effectively. The film’s visual direction also emphasizes a balance between confinement and freedom, with the team intentionally designing even the most restrictive settings, such as a prison cell, to feel gentle and bathed in moonlight rather than cold or dreary.
Following its world debut at the 2025 Annecy International Film Festival, the film is set for a limited North American theatrical run on August 30 and 31. A wider release in Japan will follow on October 10, 2025. While the team has emphasized that the film is designed to leave audiences with a refreshed outlook, the specific balance of its 50/50 split between confined and open spaces remains a key element for viewers to experience firsthand.
Why it matters: The reunion of the ODD TAXI core staff suggests a continuation of their signature character-first storytelling, though it remains to be seen how this original film will perform compared to the cult success of their previous series.
