Highlights
- GKIDS has released the first English-language trailer for cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood.
- Produced by SASAYURI, the film adapts Machiko Kyo’s manga and explores the impact of World War II.
- The project brings together acclaimed anime talents, including Yukimitsu Ina and Taku Kishimoto.
GKIDS has released the English-subbed trailer for cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood, offering the first look at the English dub, on July 16. cocoon will be released across North America on Sep 4, 2026, following its world premiere at JAPAN CUTS on July 10.
The feature marks the directorial debut of Yukimitsu Ina and the first production from SASAYURI, an animation studio founded by former Studio Ghibli animator Hitomi Tateno. cocoon adapts Machiko Kyo’s acclaimed manga and brings together veteran Studio Ghibli talent alongside a new generation of animators.
The film was first released in Japan on March 30, 2025. However, the international roll-out has begun this year with no streaming option available, effectively making this film unavailable across most international markets.
SASAYURI’s cocoon Blends Ghibli Veterans With a New creative team
Apart from being the first production from a Ghibli veteran’s studio, cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood project carries added historical weight. Japanese public broadcaster NHK commissioned the film to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and the film carries a war-adjacent narrative, similar to Ghibli’s Grave of the Fireflies or In This Corner of the World (MAPPA).
Set on a peaceful island during World War II in Japan, cocoon follows two schoolgirls, San and Mayu, whose lives change when war reaches their island. The girls are compelled to work as nurses “to help nurse the wounded in a military hospital hidden away in a cave;” the pair struggle to preserve their humanity amidst loss and brutality.
cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood production reflects SASAYURI’s ambition to bridge established anime craftsmanship with emerging talent. Director Ina, whose previous credits include Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! and Star Wars: Visions – Tatooine Rhapsody, co-wrote the screenplay with industry veteran Taku Kishimoto (Haikyu!!, SAKAMOTO DAYS).
The film brings together veteran Studio Ghibli animators Akihiko Yamashita (The Boy and the Heron) and Shinji Otsuka (Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service). cocoon’s score is handled by kensuke ushio, who has worked on productions such as A Silent Voice and Chainsaw Man Reze Arc. GKIDS previously confirmed that theatrical screenings will include a special offering, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look at how the film’s score was composed.
GKIDS has built cocoon’s release slate as a prestige and festival-vetted anime. Following its U.S. premiere, the film will screen at Fantasia International Film Festival, one of the largest North American genre film festivals, on August 1.
At Fantasia, Cocoon sits among a wave of festival-backed anime, alongside highly anticipated titles like Grotesqqque and Sekiro: No Defeat. Nonetheless, with its wartime themes and creative team rooted in Studio Ghibli's legacy, cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood is emerging as one of this year’s most closely watched prestige anime releases.
