Night on the Galactic Railroad

1985 108 min ★ 7.1 Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy

Lonely and awkward, Giovanni struggles with his sick mother, absent father, and an afterschool job that isolates him from his peers. But on the night of the Festival of Stars, he is magically transported onto a celestial train with his only friend, Campanella. Together, they embark on an extraordinary journey through the galaxy, encountering mysterious characters and grappling with life's deepest questions.

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Cast

Mayumi Tanaka

Giovanni (voice)

Chika Sakamoto

Campanella (voice)

Junko Hori

Zanelli (voice)

Kaori Nakahara

Kaoru (voice)

Yoshie Shimamura

Giovanni's Mother (voice)

Reiko Niimura

Old Woman (voice)

Ayumi Ishijo

(voice)

Ayako Hori

(voice)

Chikao Ohtsuka

Birdcatcher (voice)

Hidehiro Kikuchi

Young Man (voice)

Details

Director

Gisaburō Sugii

Screenplay

Minoru Betsuyaku

Tagline

"Japan's most beloved children's book is now a hauntingly beautiful feature film."

Status

Released

Original Language

JA

Production

Nippon Herald Films, The Asahi Shimbun, Group TAC

Reviews

N

Norsk

March 27, 2026

★ 7/10

Based on a 1983 manga which was itself based on the classic 1927 book by Kenji Miyazawa, Night on the Galactic Railroad is a movie you are unlikely to forget. This movie will leave you sad, bewildered and happy all at various times. Two humanoid cats find themselves on a mysterious railroad through the universe. There are others on board this train as well and all of them seem to know where it is ...