The Journey

The film draws on the event known in Islamic history as the Year of the Elephant: a large army marches on Mecca, intending to destroy the Kaaba and enslave its people. The city can put only a small force in its way and defeat looks certain. At the centre is Aus, an ordinary potter trying to protect his family, who has to open up something he has kept hidden from his past as the battle closes in. It is a joint production between Toei Animation and Manga Productions of Saudi Arabia, and drew attention as an attempt to tell a story from Arab history in the language of Japanese anime. Kobun Shizuno directed and Atsuhiro Tomioka wrote the script, with well-known Japanese voices including Toru Furuya, Kotono Mitsuishi and Hiroshi Kamiya.