My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday 2016

First encounter on a Kyoto train

Takatoshi, a 20-year-old visual arts undergrad, meets Emi on a train bound for college in Kyoto. It’s love at first sight and they promise to meet again soon. This brief encounter sets the course for their extraordinary connection.

Planning a date with help from a friend

With the help of his friend Shoichi Ueyama, Takatoshi asks Emi on a date and they go out together. By the end of the date, he confesses his love, sealing the early stage of their romance. The moment deepens their bond and reveals Emi’s openness.

Emi’s quirks deepen the mystery

Takatoshi grows convinced Emi is different, as she seems to predict events and cries when he acts with kindness. She also avoids spending time with him after midnight, hinting at a secret linked to time. These quirks deepen the mystery surrounding her.

Intimacy leads to discovery of Emi's journal

On March 1, they become intimate, and Takatoshi discovers Emi's journal left on a table. The pages run backward through time, with dates from March 16 down to February 15. The journal hints at a reality where Emi’s life moves in reverse.

Emi reveals the reverse-time truth

Emi explains she is from a world where time runs backward, meaning what others call the future is her past. She admits she has watched Takatoshi since he was a child, even rescuing him from drowning when he was five. Her memories fade as time moves backward, which is why she keeps a journal.

The constraint of being together: one month every five years

She explains they can only be together for a month every five years, and because Takatoshi is 20, this month is their last aligned period. The revelation reframes their romance as something precious yet inherently fleeting. The couple must navigate a romance bounded by time.

Friend reinforces pursuit

Takatoshi wrestles with whether their relationship might be fake, but his friend encourages him to pursue Emi regardless. The support pushes him to stay hopeful even as the mystery of time remains unresolved. Their bond endures despite the looming impossibility.

Final day of equality: March 16

On March 16, the final day they can be equals within their cycle, Takatoshi sketches Emi to capture their fleeting moment. They prepare for the culmination of their limited time together. The day marks a turning point as time edges toward its reverse loop.

Emi disappears at the train station

They wait for the day to pass at the station where they first met, but Emi disappears as the time moves on. The vanishing marks the end of their day as equals and leaves Takatoshi with only the sketch and a sense of fate. Time itself seems to pull them apart.

Five years later: meeting a 15-year-old Emi

Five years after Emi’s disappearance, Takatoshi reencounters a 15-year-old Emi and returns her sketch. Their renewed connection reveals Emi’s continued presence across time, even as she remains bound by the time rules. The moment underscores the stubborn persistence of their bond.

Ten more years: rescuing a 5-year-old Emi

A further ten years pass, and Takatoshi comes to rescue a 5-year-old Emi from a festival fire. This act bridges generations and reinforces their enduring link across time. This scene moves the story toward its backward-moving resolution.