The Summit of the Gods

The Summit of the Gods (Le Sommet des dieux) follows Makoto Fukamachi, a young Japanese photojournalist who stumbles upon a mysterious Vest Pocket Kodak camera in a Kathmandu shop. The camera may have belonged to George Mallory, the legendary British mountaineer who disappeared on Mount Everest in 1924. If the film inside remains intact, it could prove whether Mallory reached the summit decades before Sir Edmund Hillary, potentially rewriting mountaineering history.

Fukamachi's investigation leads him to Joji Habu, a reclusive and legendary climber who has vanished from the public eye. As Fukamachi delves into Habu's past—marked by fierce rivalries, tragic accidents, and an uncompromising spirit—the film transforms from a journalistic mystery into a harrowing exploration of the human soul. The narrative eventually converges on Everest, where both men must face the ultimate physical and psychological test against the indifferent power of the mountain.

The core meaning of the film lies in the nature of obsession and the rejection of external validation. While the plot is initially driven by the mystery of Mallory's camera, the resolution suggests that the "truth" of history is secondary to the personal experience of the climb. The director explores why individuals pursue seemingly futile, life-threatening goals. Ultimately, the film posits that for the true seeker, the summit is not a destination but merely a step; the purpose is found in the will to keep moving despite the lack of a logical 'why.'

Some viewers interpret the ending as a tragedy, seeing Habu's final ascent as a form of slow suicide driven by an inability to function in the modern world. Conversely, a more spiritual reading suggests that Habu achieves a form of Nirvana; by leaving the camera and the 'proof' behind, he transcends the need for human history and becomes one with the mountain. Another interpretation focuses on Fukamachi as the true protagonist, suggesting the film is actually about the transformation of a spectator into a participant—an allegory for how we consume stories versus how we live our own lives.

The Summit of the Gods has been hailed as a landmark in adult animation, moving away from fantasy tropes to embrace a grounded, 'prestige' drama aesthetic. It bridged the gap between Franco-Belgian animation traditions and Japanese manga storytelling, receiving a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. Critics praised it for its maturity and for proving that animation can depict the physical toll and psychological depth of sports more effectively than live-action. It significantly boosted international interest in the works of Jirō Taniguchi and underscored the growing trend of 'adult-skewing' animation on global platforms like Netflix.

The film was met with widespread critical acclaim, holding a high approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences particularly praised the immersive sound design and the vertigo-inducing cinematography. Main points of praise included the film's ability to create tension without dialogue and its respectful, non-romanticized depiction of mountaineering. Some viewers found the pacing of the urban investigation in the first half slow compared to the thrilling mountain sequences, but most agreed that the character building made the final act significantly more impactful.