Kusunoki no Banni

Yûgo Kanno – Kusunoki no Bannin (The Camphorwood Custodian, 2026) is an emblematic coming-of-age Japanese animated film, but it is mostly devoid of quirkiness and takes a comfortable, slow approach. It tells the story of the young Reito, who, after having had an unfortunate personal history, is ordered by court law, incentivised by his mother's half-sister Mifune, to both venture into learning the ropes of high-class corporate employment while fulfilling the duty of becoming the keeper of a mysterious camphor wood tree and taking care of the people who come to pray.

Coinciding with the kind of film, the original score by Yugo Kanno is not, understandably, entirely coherent, yet most of it is. The music is delightful in thematic and melodic in content, all simplified but very emotional.

As Reito is given a second chance and experiences gradual changes while he meets and guides people associated with the tree of mystical and spiritual power, it becomes the highest asset as a connecting wire in the coming-of-age concept. Kanno uses a simplified orchestral main theme, representing the tree through a series of 'Theme of KUSUNOKI' cues, from fully orchestral to even transcendental synthesised music, which undergoes many enchanting variations, while still having an air of being melodically a bit run-of-the-mill.

In further addressing the mystique and a whole series of coming-of-age themes, the composer wrote more atmospheric, spiritual, generally dramatic, and brooding music, using both orchestral instruments, evocative synthesisers and an endearing wordless female voice.

In several prayers of people visiting the tree, the animation abruptly switches to painterly animation, which is rather brilliant and enhanced by the music of Kanno. The tree, much like all the people Reito meets, has a wildly diverse and deeper meaning; it is about regret, second chances, unfinished emotional baggage, a question of immortality and an unclear prospect of the future. This is perhaps best traditionally represented in an exemplary, sentimental, but beautiful cue: 'Melody of Entrusted Thoughts', consisting of strings and piano.

The encompassing cue is 'Melody of Memories'', which starts with a gorgeous piano solo that, after two minutes, transcends into a more full orchestral delight, with the use of wonderful strings, harp, woodwinds and now more telling female wordless vocals, ultimately becoming whimsical, at the end returning to the intimacy through a spellbinding cello. While it is great, it is a bit too much of a classical assembly work, with increased expressive tones and techniques that overall do not resemble the wider score accurately.

As anticipated in a film featuring slightly deviating elements, the semi-quirky or youthful musical ingredients are presented through Kanno's use of the original song 'It's time for you', and a series of whimsical, sometimes jazzy, or even basic piano playing in upbeat and/or distressing cues, while several cues use an engaging and surprisingly adequate groovy incentive, as heard in the astounding 'Time has begun to turn,' which is perhaps a classier, yet still curious, contemporary redesign of what Kanno's predecessor did for the Meitantei Konan series before he took over.

Yûgo Kanno's Kusunoki no Bannin is certainly one of his better efforts, despite some understandable flaws and tweaks.

The score is released by Aniplex on CD, also readily available on regular streaming platforms.




Tracklist
01 Theme of KUSUNOKI -KINEN- 2:43
02 Downfall Night 1:17
03 Intimidating Presence 0:53
04 Guardian of KUSUNOKI 1:51
05 Impossible Task 1:27
06 Theme of KUSUNOKI -GENSOU- 0:30
07 Duties of Guardian 1:53
08 Intruder 0:46
09 A Morning Scenes 1:04
10 Time passes swiftly 0:33
11 Curiosity, or Suspicion? 0:58
12 Melody of Faint Crush 0:39
13 Vague mystery 0:44
14 An Air of Confidence 0:35
15 It's time for you 2:17
16 Melody of Dignity 1:13
17 Lavish world apart 0:21
18 The Soaring Wall 1:41
19 Melody of Crush 1:00
20 Unsettling Aura 1:11
21 Bittersweet Thorns 0:59
22 Theme of KUSUNOKI -KEISHOU- 1:14
23 The Morning of Decision 0:39
24 Theme of KUSUNOKI -KENMEI- 0:31
25 Wandering mystery 0:58
26 Intersecting Agony 0:34
27 Kawatteiku 2:48
28 Because I believe 0:48
29 The Spiritual Power of KUSUNOKI 0:45
30 Melody of Entrusted Thoughts 2:10
31 Theme of KUSUNOKI -JUNEN- 1:03
32 Time has begun to turn 3:54
33 Theme of KUSUNOKI -SHINTAKU- 1:03
34 The Duel with the Giant Wall 1:48
35 Theme of KUSUNOKI -SHINJITSU- 2:42
36 Melody of Memories 5:44
37 Theme of KUSUNOKI -JOUKA- 1:13

Disc length 52:29



(13-02-2026)