The offiical website for Studio Chizu and director Mamoru Hosoda‘s new anime film Scarlet (Hateshi naki Scarlet in Japanese, literally “Scarlet Without Limits”) began streaming on Friday a new promotional video, and it reveals the theme song “Hateshi naki” (Without Limits) performed by Mana Ashida (voice of Scarlet) with lyrics by Hosoda.
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The film will open in Japan on November 21 in both regular theaters and those with IMAX screens.
The film was previously slated to open in the United States on December 12, but has been delayed to an early 2026 release date in North America. The film is still planned to have an awards-qualifying run in North America this year.
The 82nd Venice International Film Festival screened the world premiere with five screenings on September 4-5. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) screened the North American premiere at the 50th annual event as a Special Presentation, with four screenings on September 10-12. The New York Film Festival presented the film with two screenings on October 7-8. October 17-19’s Animation is Film Festival showed the film in competition in Los Angeles.
Sony Pictures describes the film:
From visionary Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (MIRAI) comes a powerful, time-bending animated adventure about SCARLET, a medieval-era, sword fighting princess on a dangerous quest to avenge the death of her father. After failing at her mission and finding herself gravely injured in the Otherworld that exists somewhere between life and death, she encounters an idealistic young man from our present day who not only helps her to heal but shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness and rage. When confronted again by her father’s killer, Scarlet faces her most daunting battle: can she break the cycle of hatred and find meaning in life beyond revenge?
Mana Ashida stars as the princess Scarlet and Masaki Okada as Hijiri, a nurse from modern Japan.
The cast also includes:
This is Miyano’s third role in a Hosoda work after The Boy and The Beast and BELLE, and Tsuda’s second after BELLE. These are also Hazama and Furukawa’s first-ever roles in a Hosoda work.
Many of these characters share the same names as characters in William Shakespeare‘s tragedy play Hamlet.
Hosoda is directing the film and writing the screenplay, and is also credited for the original work. Hosoda stated the film is not 2D animation or “Hollywood-style CG,” and he is aiming for a completely new look. Hosoda also stated the film will have a different feel to his past works, and will also have action and romance elements. He added that the film is based on a “global classic.”
The film’s producer Yūichirō Saitō stated the film will have worldwide distribution. TOHO is releasing the film in Japan, while Sony Pictures is releasing the film outside Japan. Sony Pictures has also invested in the film.
Comic Natalie noted that since The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Hosoda’s films have previously opened in Japan in summer, but this new film will open in winter.
Sources: Scarlet film’s website, Comic Natalie
