Let's Decorate the Promised Flowers in the Farewell Morning

Let's Decorate the Promised Flowers in the Farewell Morning, known in Japan as Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana o Kazarō, was released in 2018 as the directorial debut of renowned screenwriter Mari Okada. Produced by P.A. Works, the film was conceived as an exploration of the themes of maternal love, aging, and the pain of immortality, centered on the Iorph people who cease to age in their teens. Okada drew upon her own experiences with loneliness and familial bonds to craft a narrative that prioritizes emotional resonance over traditional fantasy tropes.

The film's visual identity was spearheaded by character designer Akihiko Yoshida, known for his work on the Final Fantasy and NieR series. Yoshida’s designs were intended to balance the ethereal, timeless quality of the Iorph with the grounded, gritty realism of the human kingdoms they interact with. Upon its release, the project was critically acclaimed for its evocative animation and ambitious thematic scope, solidifying Okada's reputation as a multifaceted storyteller capable of directing the visual language of her own scripts.