The Last Blossom, the first original feature film from Odd Taxi director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kazuya Konomoto, will receive a limited US cinema release through GKIDS on 30 and 31 August. The animated drama follows Akutsu, a former yakuza nearing death in prison, as a talking flower prompts him to confront memories of love, family, sacrifice and regret. It marks a move away from Odd Taxi’s crime-mystery format towards a more intimate story about ageing, guilt and the possibility of redemption.

Produced by Studio CLAP, the film uses painterly animation and shifting timelines to contrast Akutsu’s bleak cell with warmer, dreamlike recollections of his past. Its newly released trailer and posters emphasise quiet reflection rather than action, with the flower serving as a magical-realist companion. The film premiered in competition at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and later made its North American debut at Japan Cuts in New York.