It was serialized by Fukuin Kanshoten in their Kodomo no Tomo (こどものとも) magazine in 1964, and then published as a book in 1967.

Since being published in the magazine, it has been in continuous publication and had sold over a 1.7 million copies in Japan by 2010.

Sora Iro no Tane was originally published in the children's magazine Kodomo no Tomo (こどものとも) in 1964 by Fukuin Kanshoten.

"[2] As part of the 40th anniversary of Nippon Television, three 30-second short episodes based on Sora Iro no Tane were created by Studio Ghibli.

The episodes were directed by Hayao Miyazaki, with music created by Shigeru Nagata.

[3] In addition to the television airing, the films were shown in conjunction with screenings of Studio Ghibli's television film Ocean Waves at The Seventh Art Theater in Osaka from October 9–22, 1993, at the Yamagata Forum in Yamagata from November 13–26 that same year, and at the Nakano Musashino Hall in Tokyo from December 25, 1993 to January 14, 1994.