An official website has opened for an anime movie titled Naze Ikiru: Rennyo Shounin to Yoshizaki Enjou, which will open at Human Trust Cinema Shibuya on May 21, 2016. It is based on the 2001 book Naze Ikiru written by Kentetsu Takamori. That book was later published in English in 2006 under the title You Were Born for a Reason: The Real Purpose of Life.

Takamori is the chairman of Jodo Shinshu Shinrankai, an organization which conveys the teachings the Buddhist monk Shinran, who lived during Japan's Kamakura period. Shinran is considered to be the founder of Shin Buddhism, the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.

Synopsis
Ryouken, a young man who hates temples and monks, laments his misfortunes but finds hope in his soon-to-be-born child. An unfortunate accident took everything from Ryouken. In the days of self-abandonment and suffering in darkness, Ryouken finds the teachings of the high priest Rennyo. In it, he finds answers to the question "Why live" as explained by the sage Shinran. As he is drawn into the teachings and no longer hesitates, Ryouken becomes Rennyo's apprentice. The number of worshippers increase, but the Honganji temple becomes a target of the other sects, forcing Ryouken and Rennyo to flee from Kyoto. In order to find a new place to teach, they arrive in Yoshizaki (now in Fukui Prefecture) in the Hokuriku region.

Cast
Rennyo: Koutarou Satomi (Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple)
Ryouken: Katsuyuki Konishi (Beelzebub)
Takafusa Nori: Hideyuki Tanaka (Saint Seiya)
Chiyo: Ayumi Fujimura (Shinryaku! Ika Musume)
Michimune: Takaaki Seki (Sanzoku no Musume Ronja)

Staff
Director: Hideaki Ooba (Denkou Chou Tokkyuu Hikarian)
Script: Kentetsu Takamori, Kiyoto Wada (Senpai to Kanojo live-action film)
Character Design: Masaaki Kawanami (Hetalia Axis Powers)
Art Director: Kunihiko Inaba (Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica)
Music: Tooru Hasebe
Music Production: Miracle Bus
Sound Director: Yasunori Honda (Shouwa Monogatari)
Studio: Studio Deen
Distribution: Suurkiitos

Official site: http://www.nazeikiru-eiga.com/

Source: Moca News

Naze Ikiru: Rennyo Shounin to Yoshizaki Enjou on MAL