Movies

Wonderful Precure! is winding down this month, and You and Idol Precure♪ is preparing for its grand debut next month. But we're already thinking ahead to fall movies!

Toei Animation has announced that Kazuyoshi Takeda's award-winning manga Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise will be receiving an animated film adaptation at the end of this year. The film's release coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.A special trailer has been released as part of the announcement:Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise TrailerPlans for an anime adaptation were originally announced back in 2021.Goro Kuji (Chained Soldier) will direct the film, marking his movie directorial debut. Takeda will collaborate with Junji Nishimura to pen the screenplay adaptation of the manga.Peleilu: Guernica of Paradise was serialized in Hakusensha's Young Animal from 2016 to 2021 and won the Japan Cartoonists Association Award's Excellence Award in 2017.

ALDNOAH.ZERO (Re ), an upcoming theatrical anime film that compiles the 2014 – 2015 ALDNOAH.ZERO TV anime along with new footage, has released a new trailer (below) and new key art. The film will screen at select theaters in Japan beginning on February 28, 2025.ALDNAOH.ZERO (Re ) TrailerBased on an original story by Gen Urobuchi (of NITROPLUS), Ei Aoki directed the ALDNAOH.ZERO TV anime at animation studio TROYCA. Katsuhiko Takayama provided the series composition, Masako Matsumoto provided the character designs (based on original creations by Takako Shimura) and served as chief animation director and Hiroyuki Sawano provided the music.ALDNAOH.ZERO (Re ) key artCrunchyroll describes ALDNOAH.ZERO: Humanity has clearly split into two and currently there is no way these groups will once again unite.

A brand-new trailer and key visual released today for the upcoming Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved anime film revealed a planned June 27, 2025 theatrical release in Japan, along with confirmation of more cast and production staff members.The visual's tagline reads, "I don't want to let go of this hand."Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid:A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved Special TrailerMiss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid:A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved Key Visual The film's confirmed cast is as follows:Kanna voiced by Maria NaganawaKobayashi voiced by Mutsumi TamuraTohru voiced by Yuki KuwaharaElma voiced by Yuki TakadaLucoa voiced by Minami TakahashiIlulu voiced by Shiori Sugiura (replacing Tomomi Mineuchi)Fafnir voiced by Daisuke OnoMakoto voiced by Yuichi NakamuraRiko voiced by Emiri KatoShota voiced by Kaori IshiharaBased on the manga by coolkyousinnjya, Tatsuya Ishihara (Sound!

Things are about to get a bit fishy during the summer season of 2025, because a new full length theatrical anime film, entitled ChaO, has been announced by animation studio STUDIO4℃ (Poupelle of Chimney Town, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko). The main staff and a teaser image (below) have been revealed for the film. Yasuhiro Aoki directs the film at STUDIO4℃.

The official website for A NEW DAWN, an upcoming original animation film directed by Japanese painter Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, released a teaser trailer and visual today, as well as announcing its Japanese title as Hanarokusho ga Akeru Hi ni (translated to On the day when Paris Green dawns). The film is scheduled to release in Japan in 2025.A NEW DAWN Japanese Teaser TrailerTeaser Visual The site also announced the film's two main voice cast members: Riku Hagiwara will voice Keitaro Obinata, the second son of Obinata Fireworks Shop, who struggles to complete a fantastic fireworks display in place of his missing father. Kotone Furukawa will play Kaoru Shikimori, a childhood friend of Keitaro who has left her hometown to seek her future in Tokyo.

After keeping the number one spot for four consecutive weekends since its release on December 13, the Cells at Work! live-action film finally lost its top spot. In its fifth weekend, the live-action film adaptation of Akane Shimizu's manga series earned 337 million yen (2.13 million USD) on 243,000 admissions, a 46% week-to-week drop, ranking second for the first time behind Takuya Kimura-starring Grand Maison Paris, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha.

The official website for the live-action movie adaptation of Hiromasa Okujima's Babanbabanban Vampire comedy manga series announced on January 1 that the film's release in Japan will be delayed for the time being. The film was originally set for releasee in Japan on February 14, 2025, and no new release date has been set as of this reporting.The statement reads: "We have decided to postpone the release date of the movie “Babanbabanban Vampire,” which was scheduled to release on February 14, 2025, after discussions with various related parties. We apologize for the inconvenience this delay may cause to those who have been looking forward to the release of the film, and we would appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Toi-san, a short form anime school comedy series created by Jel of VTuber boy band Strawberry Prince, is being adapted into a theatrical anime film that will distributed in Japanese theaters by Shochiku during the summer season of 2025.For the film, Jel plays numerous roles including original work creator, scriptwriter, storyboard creator and character designer as well as providing the character voices. His bandmate Nanamori serves as project planner and producer. Additional information (such as theme song artists) will be revealed at a later date.Toi-san Anime Film Announcement VideoThe story of Toi-san follows Akane Toi, a high school girl who is known by her classmates as “Toi-san”.

The classic anime The Rose of Versailles returns at the end of this month! The new film adaptation of Riyoko Ikeda's historical drama is scheduled to release in cinemas in Japan on January 31.

A live-action film adaptation of an episode from Hirohiko Araki's Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe manga series, "At a Confessional," will open in Japanese theaters on May 23, 2025. The film's official website and X (formerly Twitter) opened, releasing a teaser trailer and two teaser visuals.Teaser visual 1Teaser visual 2As the first episode of the spin-off series to Araki's representative work, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, "At a Confessional" was published in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1997, then was included in the manga's first tankobon volume released in 2013. The series centers on Rohan Kishibe, one of the main characters from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable.

In the first weekend of 2025, the live-action film adaptation of Akane Shimizu's manga series Cells at Work! earned 641 million yen (4.05 million USD) from 466,000 ticket sales, holding the number one spot for four consecutive weekends, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha. The box office performance of the film for the past two weekends continued to rise, partly because Japan's New Year's holiday season.

Fantasy light novel fans will have something to look forward to next year, because according to an official post on social media, The Irregular at Magic High School THE MOVIE -Yotsuba Succession Arc- is heading to theaters in Japan “next winter”, i.e. the winter season of 2026. An updated teaser visual (below) has also been published for the film.

The live-action film adaptation of Akane Shimizu's manga series Cells at Work! earned 581 million yen (3.71 million USD) from 427,000 ticket sales in its third weekend of December 27-29, keeping the first-place position for three consecutive weekends, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha. The film's third-weekend gross was 9.2 percent up from the second weekend's 532 million yen.

Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Art World Tales, the upcoming 44th theatrical anime film based on the popular children's manga series, has revealed a new piece of banner artwork that will advertise the film in Japanese movie theaters beginning on December 27, 2024.The artwork (below) depicts Nobita, Doraemon and the rest of the gang passing through a painting into the magical fantasy world of Arturia. Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Art World Tales will begin screening in theaters in Japan on March 7, 2025. Based on the original work by Fujiko F.

The official website for the upcoming Cute High Earth Defense Club ETERNAL LOVE! feature film released a main trailer today. The film is produced to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Cute High Earth Defense Club franchise, with the trailer revealing the film's main story set in 2025 — 10 years after the first Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!

Mamoru Hosoda, the acclaimed director behind BELLE, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Mirai, Wolf Children, Summer Wars and The Boy and the Beast, revealed at a production presentation today that his next anime film is titled Scarlet ("Hateshinaki Scarlet" in Japanese) and is slated to release in Winter 2025, which is a departure from his usual summer releases. Hosoda also noted that he's aiming for a completely new look beyond 2D anime or Hollywood CG animation, and that the story is based on a globally known classic. He described it as delving into life and death with action and romance elements, while still being entertaining.

Gekijouban Project Sekai Kowareta SEKAI to Utaenai MIKU (“Project Seikai the Movie: The Broken World and The Miku Who Can't Sing”), an upcoming theatrical anime film inspired by the HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! smartphone game, has published a third intermission clip (below) featuring footage from the film.The film will have a special, limited release screening period at 25 Shochiku Multiplex Theatres venues which will run from December 27, 2024 – February 6, 2025. The general release of the film begins in Japan on January 17, 2025.Gekijouban Project Sekai Kowareta SEKAI to Utaenai MIKU 3rd Intermission ClipBased on original work by Sega, Colorful Palette, and Crypton Future Media, Hiroyuki Hata directs the film at animation studio P.A.WORKS.

The live-action film adaptation of Akane Shimizu's manga series Cells at Work! kept its first-place position in the Japan Top 10 box-office for two consecutive weekends now, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha.

The official website for Uta no Prince-sama The Movie: TABOO NIGHT XXXX, a new concert film from the Uta no Prince-sama franchise, has released a teaser trailer featuring the film's main group, QUARET NIGHT. Uta no Prince-sama The Movie: TABOO NIGHT XXXX Teaser TrailerThe CD single of the film's theme song, "TABOO NIGHT XXXX," also released today in Japan. The song's short lyric video is now available on KING AMUSEMENT CREATIVE's official YouTube channel.

Gen Urobuchi's wuxia epic Thunderbolt Fantasy comes to a close this winter. This weekend, it was confirmed that the puppet show's "final chapter"—Thunderbolt Fantasy: Toriken Yuki Saishusho—will premiere in Japanese cinemas on February 21, 2025.The announcement was accompanied by a teaser trailer and poster:Thunderbolt Fantasy: Toriken Yuki SaishushoThe film was first announced earlier this year alongside the fourth season, which premiered in Japan on October 5 of this year. More information will be forthcoming about this final installment.Created and written by Gen Urobuchi, Thunderbolt Fantasy kicked off its first season in 2016 with a second season following in 2018 and a third season in 2021.

Get ready for the theatrical release of Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK next year when Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment release the film in select territories, and for a one-day screening in North America! You can watch the upcoming Attack on Titan compilation film on the following dates and regions, available in Japanese with subtitles. The English dub will also screen in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zeland and United Kingdom.Global Theatrical Release DatesFebruary 6: Australia, New ZealandFebruary 10: United States, CanadaFebruary 12: FinlandFebruary 13: SpainFebruary 20: Denmark, The NetherlandsFebruary 21: Norway, SwedenFebruary 25: GermanyFebruary 26: United Kingdom, IrelandMarch 1: FranceMarch 3: ItalyAttack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK premiered in Japan on November 8, 2024.

The nominees are in for the 52nd Annual Annie Awards, which celebrates the world of animation across 37 categories. Among the many nominees are Look Back—the adaptation of the one-shot by Chainsaw Man author Tatsuki Fujimoto—and Ultraman: Rising.Look Back was nominated in the Best Feature - Independent category.Ultraman: Rising was nominated for Best Feature, as well as Best FX - Feature, Best Production Design - Feature and Best Editorial - Feature.Last year saw Takeshi Honda win Best Character Animation - Feature for The Boy and the Heron , which also netted a Best Storyboarding - Feature award for Hayao Miyazaki. We'll find out who this year's winners are when the Annie Awards take place on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at UCLA’s Royce Hall in Los Angeles, California.

The official website for the Little Shark's Day Out (Odekake Kozame in Japan) anime series today announced the title of the upcoming feature film to release in the summer of 2025: Eiga Odekake Kozama: Tokai no Otomodachi ("Little Shark's Day Out The Movie: A Friend in A Big City"). The site also released a teaser trailer and visual for the film. Kana Hanazawa, who has voiced the protagonist Kozame-chan, serves as the narrator of the trailer.Teaser visual It was also announced that the film's two new characters, Ankou-chan will be voiced by Megumi Han (Gon Freecss in Hunter x Hunter) and Usame-chan by Misaki Kuno (Momo Kawamoto in March comes in like a lion).Ankou-chanMegumi HanUsame-chanMisaki KunoThe synopsis reads:Kozame-chan, who came in front of the station of Yauo-cho, meets a girl named Sora on a bench, looking sad and downcast.