Kadokawa has revealed exciting news for fans of the popular novel series Rascal Does Not Dream. The company announced on Sunday that the next anime adaptation will be a film titled Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend. This movie is set to hit theaters in 2026 and is teased as bringing the story closer to its conclusion. The film shares its name with the 15th and final volume of the novel series.
To build anticipation, Aniplex has released a promotional video announcing the film. The video gives fans a sneak peek into what to expect from this highly anticipated adaptation.
The Rascal Does Not Dream franchise has a rich history of anime adaptations. The first television series, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, premiered in Japan in October 2018 and ran for 13 episodes. This series adapted the story up to the fifth novel volume and was streamed on various platforms, including Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Following the television series, the franchise saw its first film adaptation with Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl. This film, which adapted the sixth and seventh novel volumes, opened in Japan in June 2019. The movie was screened in the United States by Aniplex of America and Funimation Films, and it began streaming on Crunchyroll on June 19, 2025, with both English subtitles and a dub.
The franchise continued to expand with two more films. Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out opened in Japan in June 2023 and sold over 118,000 tickets in its first three days, earning approximately US$1.28 million. The second film, Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid, opened in December 2023 and also ranked at #4 in its opening weekend, selling 119,000 tickets and earning about US$1.11 million.
Most recently, the television anime Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus premiered on July 5, 2025. This series adapts the “University Student Arc” of the light novel series and is being streamed by Crunchyroll as it airs. The platform is also streaming an English dub of the series.
The original novel series has been incredibly successful, with over 3 million copies in circulation. Yen On, an imprint of Yen Press, publishes the novel series in English, and Yen Press also publishes the manga adaptation by Tsugumi Nanamiya. The novel volume Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend is scheduled to be published on January 6, 2026.
The anticipation for Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend is palpable, and fans are eagerly awaiting more details about this upcoming film. With the franchise’s track record of successful adaptations, this new movie is sure to be a highlight for both new and longtime fans.
News Source: Animenewsnetwork.com
