Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
A visually stunning and emotionally resonant fantasy epic that tenderly explores the profound depths of motherhood, the relentless passage of time, and the bittersweet beauty of love and loss.
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms

さよならの朝に約束の花をかざろう

24 February 2018 Japan 115 min ⭐ 8.2 (671)
Director: Mari Okada
Cast: Manaka Iwami, Miyu Irino, Yuuki Sakurai, Ai Kayano, Yuki Kaji
Drama Animation Fantasy Adventure
Motherhood and Found Family The Passage of Time and Mortality Love and Loss Identity and Belonging
Box Office: $4,345,395

Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms - Characters & Cast

Character Analysis

Maquia

Manaka Iwami

Archetype: The Caregiver
Key Trait: Nurturing

Motivation

Her primary motivation is to love, protect, and raise Ariel. She seeks to understand what it means to be a mother and to create a happy life for her son, even as she grapples with her own immortality and loneliness.

Character Arc

Maquia begins as a shy, lonely, and somewhat timid girl. After finding Ariel, she is thrust into the role of a mother and must learn to be strong and resilient for his sake. Over the decades, she experiences the profound joy and deep sorrow of motherhood, ultimately transforming into a wise and compassionate individual who understands that love is worth the pain of loss.

Ariel

Miyu Irino

Archetype: The Everyman
Key Trait: Human

Motivation

Initially, his motivation is to stay with Maquia. As he grows older, he desires to protect her and later to establish his own identity and family. He is driven by a complex mix of love for Maquia, societal pressure, and the natural desire for independence.

Character Arc

Ariel's arc is that of a normal human life, from infancy to old age. As a child, he is completely devoted to Maquia. As a teenager, he becomes conflicted and resentful of her eternal youth and their unconventional relationship. He distances himself from her but eventually comes to understand the depth of her love and sacrifice. He becomes a soldier, a husband, and a father, living a full life shaped by Maquia's love.

Leilia

Ai Kayano

Archetype: The Tragic Heroine
Key Trait: Resilient

Motivation

Her main motivation is to see her daughter, Medmel. This desire consumes her, leading to moments of emotional instability. She is also a victim of circumstance, caught between the expectations of the Mezarte kingdom and her Iorph heritage.

Character Arc

Leilia starts as a vibrant and confident young Iorph. After being kidnapped and forced into a political marriage, she becomes a symbol of tragic motherhood, separated from her own child. Her arc is one of despair and longing, providing a stark contrast to Maquia's experience. In the end, after a brief reunion with her daughter, she chooses to leave her past behind and fly away with Maquia.

Krim

Yuki Kaji

Archetype: The Anti-Hero
Key Trait: Obsessive

Motivation

His sole motivation is to rescue Leilia and return to their old way of life. He is driven by a rigid adherence to the past and an inability to adapt to the changing world, which ultimately leads to his downfall.

Character Arc

Krim is initially presented as a heroic figure, determined to rescue Leilia, his beloved. However, his single-mindedness and inability to accept change turn him into a tragic and somewhat antagonistic figure. He is a foil to Maquia, as he cannot let go of the past and is ultimately consumed by his bitterness and desire for revenge. His arc ends in tragedy when he is killed after Leilia rejects his plan to escape.

Cast

Manaka Iwami as Maquia (voice)
Miyu Irino as Ariel (voice)
Yuuki Sakurai as Ariel as a Child (voice)
Ai Kayano as Leilia (voice)
Yuki Kaji as Krim (voice)
Yoshimasa Hosoya as Lang (voice)
Rina Sato as Mido (voice)
Yoko Hikasa as Dita (voice)
Miyuki Sawashiro as Racine (voice)
Tomokazu Sugita as Izor (voice)
Misaki Kuno as Medmel (voice)
Hiroaki Hirata as Barlow (voice)
Jo Bin as Lang as an Adolescent (voice)
Yuki Kurimoto as Dita as a Child (voice)
Junnosuke Shishido as Deol as a Child (voice)