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| 'Hodonaku, Owakare desu' Starring Hamabe & Meguro Hits Cinemas February 2026 |
Here comes a film that’s not afraid to talk about the one thing we all tend to avoid – death. But don’t worry, Hodonaku, Owakare desu isn’t all gloom and doom. It’s tender, thought-provoking, and quietly beautiful – and it’s coming to Japanese cinemas in February 2026.
Hamabe Minami, known for her emotionally grounded performances in hits like I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, stars as Shimizu Misora, a young woman who’s just hit rock bottom after one job rejection too many.
With her future looking a bit bleak, she stumbles into an unexpected opportunity: an internship at a funeral company. Yes, you read that right.
Enter Meguro Ren – everyone's favourite drama heartthrob from silent and Trillion Game – who plays Ushihara Reiji, a funeral planner with a quiet intensity and a painfully high standard.
He’s the type that says more with a look than a speech, and under his firm (and slightly terrifying) guidance, Misora starts to see death – and life – in a new light.
Directed by the emotionally attuned Takahiro Miki (Blue Spring Ride, Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight), the film adapts the award-winning debut novel by Nagatsuki Amane, who wrote the story after the death of her husband.
It’s no surprise the film is soaked in sincerity and sensitivity.
At its core, Hodonaku, Owakare desu is a human drama that gently unpacks what it means to say goodbye – not just to the dead, but to parts of ourselves, our regrets, and the lives we thought we’d have.
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As Misora learns the ropes of funeral planning – from comforting grieving families to planning send-offs that reflect the life lived – she slowly begins to heal her own wounds too.
Speaking about the role in this movie, Hamabe Minami confessed she was initially unsure if she could do justice to such a weighty subject.
But after a heartfelt letter from Director Miki, encouraging her to simply feel rather than act, she leaned into the experience fully.
“It’s a story that made me want to treasure the people around me more,” she said.
Meguro Ren, on his first time working with Hamabe, had nothing but praise: “She really brought Misora to life. Even though our characters didn’t talk much, the connection felt real.”
About the film, he shared, “It reminds you that even the time you’re living right now is precious and fleeting. I hope people leave the cinema thinking about how they treat those they love.”
While the topic might sound heavy, the film isn’t here to drag you down.
It’s here to make you reflect – and maybe cry a little (okay, probably a lot) – but also to help you find beauty in the act of letting go.
From the solemn stillness of a funeral parlour to the quiet strength of a final farewell, it’s a journey of growth, empathy, and human connection.
And that title? “Hodonaku, Owakare desu” – which translates roughly as “Soon, it’s time to say goodbye” – is the phrase Ushihara gently whispers at every send-off. It’s poetic, understated, and hits you right in the feels.
So, if you’re looking for a film that balances heartache with hope, and tackles “the end” in a way that feels more like a new beginning, mark your calendar.
Hodonaku, Owakare desu is the quiet, powerful story we didn’t know we needed.