The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes

My Rating: [ 6.2 — Good ]

• Japanese Title: 夏へのトンネル、さよならの出口
• Hepburn: Natsu e no Tonneru, Sayonara no Deguchi
• Author: Mei Hachimoku
• Illustrator: Kukka
• Novel Publication Date: July 18, 2019
• Publisher: Shogakukan under the Gagaga Bunko imprint
• Genre: Romance, Science Fiction
• Anime Film Release: September 9, 2022
• Official English Release: Seven Seas Entertainment
• Official Japanese Product Page: Shogakukan Official Site

The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes is a short and visually polished film, but for me it did not fully reach the emotional weight it was aiming for. The premise is immediately interesting: a mysterious tunnel can grant a person’s deepest wish, but the price is that time passes differently outside. That idea gives the story a strong sense of loss from the beginning, because every step toward getting what you want also feels like a step away from the life you know.

What worked best for me was the basic setup of the two main characters. Kaoru Touno carries the burden of his sister’s death and the collapse of his family, while Anzu Hanashiro is driven by her desire to become a manga artist, believing she lacks something essential. Both of them are shaped by regret, and the tunnel becomes a way for them to chase something they think will fix their lives. Anzu was my favorite character because her patience and devotion felt the most memorable, especially in the way she keeps waiting for Kaoru and holding onto the umbrella for him even years later.

The animation is good, and the film is definitely well made on a technical level. It has a clean presentation and a strong atmosphere in moments where it slows down. Kaoru’s decision near the end to go inside alone also made sense, since it fits the burden he has been carrying and the kind of conclusion the story was aiming for.

Still, the film has flaws. It tries to create a quiet, melancholic tone, but that mood does not always land as strongly as it should. Some parts needed more screen time or a better introduction, especially because certain character motivations and emotional beats feel more assumed than fully earned. At times, the film seems to treat the characters’ nature as a given rather than something the audience is allowed to watch develop. That weakens the impact a little.

Even so, it is still one of the better films in this kind of romantic fantasy style. The core idea is genuinely interesting, and the story has enough sincerity to make it worthwhile, even if I think it could have been executed in a stronger way.