Acclaimed anime director Shingo Natsume is set to release his first original feature-length animated film, tentatively titled “ghost,” with a theatrical debut planned for 2027. The production has officially been greenlit.

The newly unveiled teaser visual features a mysterious girl named Nike, staring directly ahead with determined eyes as she holds a sword made of glass. Behind her stretches a night sky adorned with vividly colored flowers, hinting at the beginning of an extraordinary story.

Natsume, known for works including One-Punch Man, ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept., Sonny Boy, and The Tatami Time Machine Blues, has directed a wide array of both adaptations and original anime. His original TV anime Sonny Boy garnered attention for its highly distinctive artistic vision and unconventional storytelling.

Sonny Boy was not only acclaimed in Japan but also internationally, having been nominated in the TV category at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival—the world’s largest animation festival. With “ghost,” Natsume takes his talents to the big screen in a full-length original anime film for the first time.

Animation production will be handled by MADHOUSE, the studio behind beloved masterpieces such as Satoshi Kon’s Millennium Actress and Paprika, and Mamoru Hosoda’s Summer Wars. MADHOUSE has long collaborated with Natsume, making them a fitting partner for this ambitious project.

The character drafts are provided by manga artist Natsume Ono, with character design by Norifumi Kugai, continuing the team dynamic from ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.. A stellar creative team is now hard at work on the project.

Director Natsume shared his vision for the film, stating, “Through the fictional medium of animation, I want to create something that reflects the times we live in — a piece grounded in reality.”

The film explores the idea of the “ghost” that exists within everyone — the unnamed, yet undeniably real emotions residing in our hearts. The story poetically depicts the loneliness and courage of Nike, a girl who resists the irrationality of the world to protect the “starry sky,” as well as the subtle emotional shifts born through her connections with others.

Currently, the film is under production in collaboration with creators who resonate with its themes, aiming for a 2027 theatrical release.

At MIFA, the business component of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival currently underway in France, a poster featuring the key visual will be on display starting June 10 at the Japan Annex booth, hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and VIPO (Visual Industry Promotion Organization). A pitch session for the film is also scheduled during the event.

Director Profile: Shingo Natsume

Shingo Natsume made his TV directorial debut with Space Dandy in 2014. Since then, he has helmed several acclaimed titles including One-Punch Man (2015), ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. (2017), and Boogiepop and Others (2019). In 2021, he released the original TV anime Sonny Boy, which he directed, wrote, and conceived entirely on his own, drawing widespread attention both in Japan and abroad for its distinct and visionary worldbuilding.

Earlier in his career, he participated as an episode director in The Tatami Galaxy (2010), a project directed by Masaaki Yuasa and animated by Madhouse. In 2022, he was chosen to direct the theatrical film The Tatami Time Machine Blues. The upcoming ghost (working title) marks his first original feature-length animated film.

STAFF

Original Concept: Shingo Natsume, Tomohiro Suzuki, Bandai Namco Filmworks, Madhouse
Director & Screenplay: Shingo Natsume
Original Character Design: Natsume Ono
Character Design: Norifumi Kugai
Animation Production: MADHOUSE