A delightful and moving coming-of-age story. One summer, three young boys take an increasing interest in an eccentric old man who lives alone in a house surrounded by an overgrown garden. The boys form a bond with the recluse and set about weeding and replanting the garden.
Unfortunately the movie The Friends is not yet available on HBO Max.
| Directing | Shinji Sōmai | Director |
| Sound | Izumi Sakai | Original Music Composer |
| Art | Kyōko Heya | Art Direction |
| Production | Katsuhiro Ogawa | Unit Production Manager |
| Sound | Hidetoshi Nonaka | Sound |
| Lighting | Hideo Kumagai | Gaffer |
| Lighting | Naruyuki Ueda | Gaffer |
| Editing | Yoshiyuki Okuhara | Editor |
| Costume & Make-Up | Kumiko Ogawa | Costume Supervisor |
| Writing | Kazumi Yumoto | Novel |
| Writing | Yōzō Tanaka | Screenplay |
| Production | Hiroyuki Fujikado | Producer |
| Production | Kei Ijichi | Executive Producer |
| Production | Etsuhiro Katô | Producer |
| Production | Masahiro Yasuda | Executive Producer |
| Sound | Sergio Assad | Music |
| Camera | Noboru Shinoda | Director of Photography |
