After earning international acclaim at the Cannes and Annecy film festivals, the animated feature We Are Aliens (Ware Ware wa Uchūjin) has officially confirmed its Japanese theatrical release. Japanese distributor TOHO NEXT and NOTHING NEW announced that the film will premiere in cinemas across Japan on September 25. The announcement also came with an updated teaser trailer, giving fans their first look at the film’s official release date.
We Are Aliens marks the feature directorial debut of Kōhei Kadowaki, who took on multiple key roles, including planner, screenwriter, director, storyboard artist, and editor. The film is a Japanese-French co-production with animation studio Miyu Productions, making it one of the year’s notable international anime collaborations.
Tells a Coming-of-Age Story About Guilt and Memories
We Are Aliens is a coming-of-age story about friendship, guilt, and growing up. The film follows Tsubasa and Gyōtarō, two boys who become close friends in elementary school. However, jealousy and misunderstandings slowly drive them apart. Years later, they have grown into very different people, but painful memories from their childhood bring them back together and force them to face the past.
Set against the backdrop of Japan’s quiet countryside, the story explores the journey from childhood to adulthood through emotional moments and beautiful, nostalgic scenery. One of the story’s most memorable lines, “Is the moon red because it’s angry, or because it’s blushing?,” begins as a symbol of the boys’ friendship but takes on a much deeper and more emotional meaning as their lives change.
We Are Aliens Tells One Story Through Two Different Perspectives
One of the biggest strengths of We Are Aliens is its unique storytelling. Instead of following a single character, the anime film tells the same story from two different perspectives. The first half follows Tsubasa, while the second half is told through Gyōtarō’s eyes. This dual-perspective approach helps viewers understand both characters and the emotions behind their choices.
Director Kōhei Kadowaki also makes a bold creative decision by revealing the film’s title only halfway through the story. Rather than serving as a simple surprise, the moment gives new meaning to everything that came before it. Recurring symbols, including a game cartridge that represents the boys’ friendship and distorted reflections of themselves, add even more emotional depth to the film.
Rather than giving viewers easy answers, the film asks thought-provoking questions. How easily do we judge others based on what we hear? Can one careless decision change someone’s life forever? Through its emotional story of friendship, bullying, guilt, and growing up, the anime delivers a powerful coming-of-age experience that stays with viewers long after the credits roll.
From Crowdfunding to Cannes: The Amazing Journey of We Are Aliens
We Are Aliens began as a grassroots project supported by fans. The production team launched a crowdfunding campaign on the Motion Gallery platform to help improve the film’s quality and expand its release. The campaign surpassed its original goal of ¥8 million, raising more than ¥9.6 million, showing strong support from audiences even before the film was finished.
Thanks to that overwhelming support, We Are Aliens soon reached some of the world’s biggest film festivals. It premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival before competing at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious animation events.
Cast, Distribution, and International Reach
The film stars Ryōta Bandō and Amane Okayama as the adult versions of Tsubasa and Gyōtarō, respectively. The younger versions of the characters are voiced by Yūto Maki and Tasuku Nakagome, both selected through open auditions. French studio Miyu Productions joined the production in June 2025 as a creative collaborator.
Internationally, sales company CHARADES has licensed the film to Hooray Films in Taiwan, Shaw Organisation in Singapore, Intercontinental Film Distributors in Hong Kong, and Sahamongkol Film in Thailand, with further international sales ongoing.
For global anime audiences, the film represents something rare: NOTHING NEW was founded in 2022 with the explicit goal of building a world “where talent doesn’t get crushed,” and We Are Aliens is the small Tokyo-based label’s first feature-length animated film.
With its emotional coming-of-age story, stunning animation, and growing international acclaim, We Are Aliens is shaping up to be one of the year’s most anticipated original anime films. After earning praise at the Cannes and Annecy film festivals, the movie will finally open in theaters across Japan on September 25.
