With Nahoko Uehashi having done some interesting works before such as Moribito, we were excited by the reveal back in June 2018 that their series Shika no Ō is getting an anime project. The adaptation is being done as a theatrical film that was scheduled originally to arrive on September 18th, 2020 but it was part of the slate of titles delayed until 2021 last summer. The film has a September 10th, 2021 debut in Japan.
Now, the folks at GKIDS has announced their pickup of the North American rights to the film that’s part of the Annecy International Animation Festival 2021 showcase. It’ll be released as The Deer King when it comes out.
The film is directed by Masashi Ando based on the screenplay by Taku Kishimoto. Masayuki Miyaji is serving as an assistant director while Ando is also handling the character designs. Production I.G. is working on the animation production and released a still below.
The Japanese cast includes Shinichi Tsutsumi as Van, Ryōma Takeuchi as Hossal, and Anne Watanabe as Sae.
The two-volume series (which saw a slimmer four-volume run in 2017) came out in 2014 and won a couple of awards.
Check out the official site and Twitter.
Plot Concept: The tribal homelands of the “Lost Antlers” are under siege — they’ve become the latest target of the Empire, an oppressive and unsurmountable enemy. Van leads his warriors into a losing battle all the same, quickly finding himself enslaved, toiling away at a salt mine. A chance for freedom comes one night when a mysterious pack of wild dogs attacks, and Van escapes the mine with a young girl, whom he takes under his protection. However, the wild dogs brought more than Van’s freedom: they carried a devastating plague with them, which begins to spread throughout the land. With an even greater enemy in sight, Van unites with the genius doctor Hohsalle and others to unravel the secrets of the plague and find a cure.
Previous trailers:
