In April 2001, a brand-new Nintendo game was released for the first time in Japan. Animal Forest, as it was known at the time, was a life-simulation game for the Nintendo 64 that allowed a player to live in a small village with animal neighbors. Later released under a new title, Animal Crossing was ported to the GameCube, where audiences outside of Japan could finally fall in love with the game and play it for the very first time.
Following the success of Animal Crossing (2001) and Animal Crossing: Wild World (2005), Nintendo had an idea: What if we turn this budding franchise into a film? The game itself already had a unique plot, and wouldn't have been too difficult to shape into a film. So in 2006, Nintendo, OLM, Inc., and VAP decided to produce the first (and only) Animal Crossing movie, Dōbutsu no Mori.
For the uninitiated, Dōbutsu no Mori, which translates to Animal Forest, follows an 11-year-old girl named Ai who moves to a new village populated with animals. She works hard to make new friends and follow her dreams, while also unraveling the village's mystery surrounding bottled messages (sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it?). The film was only released in Japan, and Nintendo of America currently has no plans for an English release. However, with the continuous success of not only Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but the Animal Crossing franchise as a whole, many fans wonder: Is it time for them to change their minds?
When Dōbutsu no Mori released in Japan, it grossed approximately $16 million (¥1.7 billion) at the box office. While that number seems small in comparison to films today, Dōbutsu no Mori actually did well for its time. Japan-based fans gave the film a warm reception, based on the fact that the video game series had performed so well in past years. Even though Animal Crossing was a minor hit in the west by this point in time, no one appreciated the series more than those in Japan. With the very first release being only in Japan, followed by the updated GameCube version being available to Japanese fans first, the film succeeded.
This might be the reason why Nintendo of America has reservations about releasing the film to English-speaking audiences. There is a possibility that Nintendo fears that the film would not be as well-received, due to the fact that many other countries don't have as deep of a connection to the series as fans in Japan do. However, as we have seen since the 2020 release of New Horizons, many fans of the series (old and new alike) have a deep appreciation for the game. Many fans have shared that playing New Horizons helped them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic that caused the world to stay inside, providing them with peaceful entertainment while cooped up. The game resonated with thousands of Switch players, selling about 38 million copies over its two-year lifespan, making it the second best-selling Switch game. These are the type of fans who have fallen in love with the franchise, and would look forward to an opportunity to watch the 2006 film.
Reasons to re-release Dōbutsu no Mori go beyond the success of New Horizons. Consider the announcement that the original Animal Crossing for the GameCube will no longer be playable on a day-to-day basis in 2030. Due to the technology that was available at the time, the in-game clock will stop once it reaches the year 2030. Animal Crossing is best known for its ability to mimic daily life, allowing the player to play in real time (or set their own date to play). While the game will still be playable, GameCube players will no longer have the "daily life" experience that the series provides. Releasing the film in the west would not only bring a sense of unity and comfort for lifelong Animal Crossing fans, but give many players an opportunity to reminisce on their youth, when they would boot up their GameCube and hang out with their animal neighbors.
While re-releasing Dōbutsu no Mori would benefit the Animal Crossing fanbase in a multitude of ways, there are some issues that would indeed make it difficult. Nintendo would have to cast voice actors to dub the film in English, and would likely have to update some dialogue or animations considering the film's age. This would cost quite a bit, and while Nintendo does have the funds, they may not deem it necessary to spend those fungs on a film made in 2006 that has never left Japan. In addition, Nintendo would have to weigh the pros and cons of an English re-release. How successful would it truly be in English-speaking nations? Where would they release it? A theatrical release probably would not generate much revenue, but what streaming service would be willing to pick up an animated film about living with animals? Even though now seems like the perfect time for a re-release of Dōbutsu no Mori, there are some obstacles that stand in the way of it happening.
Fans have also pointed out that the film can be found on YouTube with English subtitles. While it's not the viewing experience many would hope for, it exists (though it is very difficult to find) and doesn't require Nintendo to put in the extra work. Even though it is frowned upon to watch and post content that the original owner did not post themselves, a valid argument does exist for those who want to watch the film. However, fans should know that Nintendo will most likely not release it for (legal) public consumption. English subtitles do provide audiences in the west with the ability to understand the dialogue, but are they enough to satisfy the desire for a full re-release of the film?
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Even though the challenges involved in re-releasing the film seem daunting, the Animal Crossing community is one that would be willing to watch it, and rally behind the idea of a release in the west. Dōbutsu no Mori is a playful movie that would entertain an Animal Crossing fan of any age, and create a sense of joy throughout the fandom that is always felt when a new update to the franchise is released. Should the 2006 film ever receive a western release, it would be sure to excite and bring out the inner kid in many Animal Crossing fans — and perhaps inspire newcomers to take up the games for the first time.