Scarlet: Mamoru Hosoda’s New Film Unveils Shocking Scenes in 90-Second Trailer with Character Stills

Mamoru Hosoda’s upcoming anime film Scarlet (scheduled for release on November 21) has unveiled a powerful 90-second trailer packed with key scenes. The long-awaited preview was released on August 1—“Summer Wars Day” in Japan.

August 1 holds special meaning for fans of Hosoda’s work: it marks the release date of Summer Wars in 2009 and the birthday of one of its central characters, Granny Sakae. The day has since been dubbed “Summer Wars Day.” This year, Summer Wars aired on Nippon TV’s Friday Roadshow, followed by the first-ever terrestrial broadcast of a 30-second teaser for Scarlet immediately after the film.

The newly released 90-second trailer is an extended version of that teaser. It opens with a shocking scene: Claudius (voiced by Koji Yakusho) executes King Amlet (voiced by Masachika Ichimura), declaring, “Traitors must be punished…” The story centers on Princess Scarlet (voiced by Mana Ashida), who travels through the decaying Land of the Dead, burning with a desire for revenge. Her path crosses with Hijiri (voiced by Masaki Okada), a nurse from modern-day Japan who inexplicably finds himself in this otherworldly realm.

Despite not knowing why he ended up in the Land of the Dead, Hijiri joins Scarlet on her journey. Even as Claudius sends assassins to kill them, Hijiri persistently tries to stop the fighting, offering words of kindness even when rejected. His unwavering compassion begins to shake Scarlet’s heart—once driven solely by vengeance.

Their desperate struggle compels viewers to confront fundamental questions: “What does it mean to live?” and “What is love?” The trailer delivers emotionally charged footage that hints at what lies beyond revenge.

Alongside the trailer, a collection of stills has been released, capturing Scarlet and Hijiri’s confrontations and moments of mutual support as they strive to survive in the Land of the Dead. Other images highlight the grim expressions of the enemy Claudius, the warm smile of Scarlet’s father Amlet, and introduce a range of distinctive characters: Voltimand (voiced by Kotaro Yoshida), Gertrude (voiced by Yuki Saito), and Cornelius (voiced by Yutaka Matsushige). A massive dragon is also shown—its identity and role in Scarlet and Hijiri’s journey remains a mystery, heightening anticipation.

Please note that some English names, including character names, have not been officially confirmed. The translations used in this article are unofficial.

90-Second Trailer of Scarlet

Source : ORICON NEWS