Kōhei Kadowaki's Highly Anticipated Anime Film "We Are Aliens" Hits Theaters in September
Distributor Toho Next and production company Nothing New have announced that the highly anticipated original anime film We Are Aliens (Ware Ware wa Uchūjin) by director Kōhei Kadowaki will be released on September 25. The film has already made a significant impact not only in Japan but also on the international stage. Its selection for the Directors' Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival and its inclusion in the main competition category at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival are testaments to the project's artistic depth and quality.
Director Kōhei Kadowaki is no stranger to the anime world; he is an artist known for his captivating visuals. He is particularly recognized for the unforgettable ending sequence of the second season of BEASTARS and popular music videos like YOASOBI's "Yasashii Suisei" (Comet). In this film, Kadowaki does not just direct; he also writes the screenplay, handles planning, prepares the storyboards, and manages the editing. In short, this is a true "auteur" project. The film's music is composed by the famous producer Yaffle, who has worked with giants like Fujii Kaze and Kenshi Yonezu.
The film's story is an emotional coming-of-age tale centered on childhood friends Tsubasa and Gyōtarō. Inseparable during their elementary school years, the two drift apart due to jealousy and misunderstandings. Thirty years later, as adults, they are forced to reunite and confront the ghosts of the past and forgotten emotions. The voice cast features Ryōta Bandō and Amane Okayama as the adult characters, while young talents Yūto Maki and Tasuku Nakagome, selected through open auditions, portray the characters' childhood versions.
We Are Aliens also features a fascinating collaboration on the production side. A co-production between the Japan-based studio Nothing New and the French Miyu Productions, the film was brought to life with an independent spirit. In fact, a crowdfunding campaign launched to enhance the project's quality and reach a wider audience raised over 9.6 million yen (approximately $60,000). As the first feature-length work from Nothing New, which was founded in 2022 with the motto "a world where talent is not crushed," this film is of great importance in demonstrating what creative freedom can achieve in the anime industry.
