English Voice Cast and Trailer Released for Shoji Kawamori's New Film Labyrinth
GKIDS has officially shared the English voice cast and a new trailer for Labyrinth (known in Japanese as Meikyū no Shiori), directed by one of the genius names of the anime world, Shoji Kawamori. The film will meet audiences in theaters in North America for a limited time on May 10 and 11, 2026, with both original Japanese and English dubbed options. This announcement is seen as a critical step in bringing Kawamori's unique vision, which blends pop music and science fiction, to Western fans.
In the English voice cast of the film, the lead character Shiori Maezawa is voiced by Shay Rudolph (The Baby-Sitters Club), accompanied by Jesse Inocalla (Komori), Nicholas Leung (Suguru), Patrick Mealey (Yamada), and Brianna Gentilella (Kirara). In the original Japanese version, the lead role is played by Suzuka, a member of the popular music group ATARASHII GAKKO!. Additionally, the film's main theme song, "Sailor, Sail On," is performed by the same group, and the music is composed by yonkey.
Labyrinth follows high school student Shiori, who dreams of going viral, as she becomes trapped in a digital labyrinth inside her smartphone after an embarrassing video of her goes viral. Shiori must cooperate with other outcast internet users to stop her charismatic digital twin, who has taken her place in the real world and threatens humanity with "algorithmic brain rot." The film offers a harsh yet highly imaginative critique of today's social media culture and digital identity confusion.
Director Shoji Kawamori is particularly known for his mecha designs and storytelling in legendary series such as Macross, The Vision of Escaflowne, and Genesis of Aquarion. Produced by the Sanzigen studio, Labyrinth is Kawamori's first completely original feature-length film not based on an existing intellectual property. Brought to life with Sanzigen's hybrid 2D/CG techniques, this production is considered the most recent reflection of the director's long-standing interest in the relationship between technology and human identity.
