English Dubbed Trailer for Shoji Kawamori's New Film Labyrinth Released: Release Date Announced!
The latest masterpiece from one of the genius names of the anime world, Shoji Kawamori, titled Labyrinth (known in Japanese as Meikyu no Shiori), is preparing to meet its audience in the West. GKIDS, which is handling the North American distribution of the film, has officially shared the highly anticipated English dubbed trailer. With this development, it has also been confirmed that the film will be available to watch on the big screen in theaters for a limited time on May 10 and 11, 2026. The fact that tickets are already on sale has created great excitement among Kawamori fans.
The film centers on the story of Shiori Maezawa, an ordinary high school student living in Yokohama. Dreaming of becoming popular on social media but struggling to attract attention, Shiori finds herself trapped in a mysterious, parallel world inside her smartphone after her phone screen cracks. In the real world, she has been replaced by her charismatic and dangerous "alter ego," SHIORI@REVOLUTION. As Shiori collaborates with a digital rabbit named Komori to escape this cyber labyrinth and reclaim her life, she faces the dark side of social media and digital identity.
Director Shoji Kawamori is a legendary figure in the anime industry, known as the creator of iconic series such as Macross, The Vision of Escaflowne, and Genesis of Aquarion. Labyrinth is notable for being the first completely original feature-length theatrical film in Kawamori's decades-long career. The animation production is handled by the Sanzigen studio, and the character designs bear the signature of Risa Ebata, whom we know from Macross Frontier. Additionally, the film's music and main theme song, "Sailor, Sail On," are performed by the popular music group ATARASHII GAKKO!, with the group's lead singer, Suzuka, providing the voice for the character of Shiori.
Kawamori states that the idea for this project came to him when his own phone screen cracked, and he views smartphones as a "second self that accumulates a person's past and identity." GKIDS adding this production to its catalog proves the film's artistic and industrial value once again. Blending Gen Z culture, social media addiction, and the existential pains of the digital world with Kawamori's unique science fiction aesthetic, Labyrinth is a candidate to be one of the most remarkable productions of the year for both long-time anime fans and the new generation of viewers. If you happen to be in North America in May, or if you are waiting for digital platform announcements, we recommend you do not miss this visual feast!
