Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho

Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho, known in English as The Place Promised in Our Early Days, originated as an animated feature film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai and released in 2004. The manga adaptation, illustrated by Mizu Sahara and serialized in Afternoon magazine starting in 2005, serves as a grounded retelling of Shinkai's original narrative. Set in an alternate history where Japan is divided between the US and the Union after World War II, the story centers on the promise made by three friends to fly to a mysterious tower that dominates the horizon.

Mizu Sahara’s adaptation was commissioned to capture the delicate, melancholic atmosphere characteristic of Shinkai’s work while utilizing the medium of black-and-white manga to emphasize the emotional isolation of the protagonists. Sahara’s art style, known for its focus on character expression and soft, emotive linework, complemented the film's themes of longing and memory. Upon its release, the volume was well-received by fans of the director for successfully translating the film’s complex, sci-fi-infused setting into a more intimate, character-driven reading experience.