The Rebirth of Buddha

2009 Japanese film

17 October 2009 (2009-10-17) (Japan)

Running time

115 minutesCountryJapanLanguageJapanese

The Rebirth of Buddha (仏陀再誕, Buddasaitan, lit. "Buddha's Return") is a Japanese animated movie produced by the new religious movement, Happy Science. It is an adaptation of a book by Ryuho Okawa, the CEO of Happy Science, and was released on October 17, 2009.^[1]

This movie was planned to be released internationally, dubbed into six languages and subtitled in twelve languages.^[1]

Plot

Sayako Amanokawa (天の川清子, Amanokawa Sayako) is a 17-year-old sophomore at an all-girls high school. She aspires to become a journalist, like her father's late friend Tokuzo Kanemoto.

The plot is based around a prior event in which Kanemoto was shamed for publishing a false report. As a result, he committed suicide by jumping in front of a train.

After Kanemoto's death, Sayako develops the ability to see and interact with spirits. In one interaction, a spirit attempts to push her in front of a train and Sayako nearly dies.

The near-death experience awakens something in her. She becomes intent on understanding what really happened with Kanemoto and embarks on a quest to find answers. She is joined by Yuki Unabara, her best friend, Taiyou Sorano, a mysterious young man who possesses special powers; Mari Kimura, a young woman who works for the local news station; Harry Badson, an Australian-American spiritualist; and Shunta Amanokawa, an elementary school student and Sayako's younger brother; to find answers and discover the true identity of the mysterious "Buddha".

Characters

Taiyou Sorano (ソラノ太陽, Sorano Taiyou): Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu

Sayako Amanokawa (天の川清子, Amanokawa Sayako) Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu

Yuki Unabara (海原由紀, Unabara Yuki) Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino

Shunta Amanokawa (天の川太郎, Amanokawa Shunta) Voiced by: Ryoko Shiraishi

Mari Kimura (キメラマリ, Kimura Mari) Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi

Harry Badson (ハリー・バドソン, Harī Badoson) Voiced by: Ryotaro Okiayu

Mrs. Amanokawa (天の川サン, Amanokawa-san) Voiced by: Miki Itou

Ippei Amanokawa (天の川一平, Amanokawa Ippei) Voiced by: Hirohiko Kakegawa

Tokuzo Kanemoto (金元徳蔵, Kanemoto Tokuzo) Voiced by: Hiroki Yasumoto

Mysterious Shaman (神秘的なシャーマン, Nazo no Shaman) Voiced by: Ako Mayama

Takeshi Komayama (コマヤマ武, Komayama Takeshi) Voiced by: Shigeru Chiba

Kaori (カオリ) Voiced by: Hisayo Yanai

Mami (マミ) Voiced by: Touko Aoyama

Tomoko (トモコ) Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino

Rina (リナ) Voiced by: Makiko Ohmoto