Starlight Promises

"Starlight Promises" (Japanese: 約束の七夜祭り, Hepburn: Yakusoku no Nanaya Matsuri) is a Japanese original net animation film produced by XFlag and Yokohama Animation Laboratory. The 62-minute film was initially set to release on July 7, 2018, via YouTube but was delayed to August 3, 2018, due to the 2018 Japan floods. It was directed and written by Kazuya Murata, with Jonathan Kazushi Maeno producing. Taro Iwashiro composed the music, and Anri Kumaki performed the opening theme song "Awai." Crunchyroll holds the license to simulcast the anime with subtitles in various languages.

The story follows high school student Shoma Mihara, who receives a message from his childhood friend Atsushi Fujii via a mobile app. Invited to a mysterious festival, Shoma discovers a hidden Tanabata celebration where participants wear traditional clothing and use augmented reality glasses for strength and knowledge. Shiori Senozawa, the festival princess, guides him, and he learns he was chosen as her prince. The preparations are led by Kanna, an artificial intelligence. However, they face attacks from AI-generated samurai created from historical and legendary knowledge due to the AI processing too much information.

Shoma discovers that everyone at the festival has come to meet someone who has died. During the ceremony, Shoma realizes Atsushi did not move away but had died, a memory he repressed. An app allows participants to see their deceased loved ones one last time, including Shoma, who says goodbye to an AI simulation of Atsushi. The film explores themes of loss, memory, and technology-facilitated closure.