Promise of the Forest
～Yamane's Tale～

The Enchanted Forest Adventure Connecting Lives

Promise of the Forest ～Yamane's Tale～

Welcome to the forest where the Yamane dwell!

The animated work “Promise of the Forest” is set in a fictional forest inspired by the Yatsugatake Mountains. It is a mysterious story centered around the natural treasure, the Yamane.

This work weaves together a tale of the divided forest and the forest animals embarking on a new adventure.

Charming Yamane (Japanese dormouse) , Field Mouse, and Squirrels thrive in the forest, delivering a valuable message about nature conservation and wildlife environmental issues in a gentle and easily understandable way for both adults and children.

Building Bridges for Animals

About “Promise of the Forest – Yamane’s Tale”

“Promise of the Forest – Yamane’s Tale” is an animation aimed at raising awareness about environmental issues, made possible with support from crowdfunding.

The story focuses on the impact of natural forest fragmentation on the lives of creatures and animal road accidents (roadkill). Deforestation has limited the movement of animals, leading to an increase in casualties on the roads.

This work was created with a heartfelt desire to build animal bridges and animal pathways to protect the lives of forest companions. By depicting a fantastical world, it aims to gently convey the importance of nature conservation to the audience.

Character Introduction

Yuzuki

The protagonist, a curious elementary school student who loves looking at the sky.

Yamane Yuzuki

Yuzuki transforms into a Yamane due to the mysterious power of the forest.

Yamane Nell

A wild Yamane who teaches Yuzuki about the forest.

Seina

Bearer of star spirits. Adorned with little stars on its tail. Assisting the forest spirit, Matzuzii.

Matsuji

The elder spirit of the ancient tree in the forest, possessing knowledge of the forest’s events over hundreds of years.

Squirrel

Gentle squirrel. Struck by a car, ascending to the starry night sky…

Behind the Scenes of Production

What are the differences between these owls ?

In the initial cut and the final version, the appearance of the owl is different.

Can you spot the differences?

The characters and features of the forest animals are diverse.

They have been checked by bird experts.

Would you like to take a peek behind the scenes of the anime production, including real videos of Japanese dormice, character designs, the process of creating keyframes, outtakes, and the recording sessions with popular voice actors?

Additionally, you can download the storyboard.

If you’re interested, check out “Read More” below!

Initial Cut

Final Cut

Screenshot

Here are screenshots from the completed animation.

An animation featuring wild forest animals in action might not be something you come across often.

And to top it off, in this work, the rarely encountered forest fairy, the Japanese dormouse, is the protagonist!

This could be a first of its kind. Be sure to take a good look and enjoy!

Wallpaper Giveaway

You can download the wallpaper by clicking on the image and selecting “Save Image As” from the right-click menu. Enjoy!

*Note on Wallpaper Usage: This wallpaper image is provided for personal use as backgrounds for web conferencing applications, TV meetings, teleworking, and remote classes. It should not be used for commercial purposes or promotional activities for companies or products.

Promise of the Forest
～Yamane's Tale～