We Are Aliens uses its new trailer to establish a rural childhood shaped by the objects, games and daily routines of Japan’s Heisei era. Released on August 27, 2026, the footage follows Tsubasa and Akitaro before an incident changes their relationship.
According to Crunchyroll News, this French-Japanese animated film will begin screening in Japan on September 25, 2026. That remains the first announced screening date: no French release, legal platform or international date has been communicated.
A rural childhood before everything changes
The trailer places the two boys far from Japan’s major cities. Rural settings and period-specific everyday objects provide a clear Heisei-era identity without establishing an exact year, while the games and activities introduce the world they share.
Their personalities are defined through a deliberate contrast. Tsubasa struggles with the idea of being “ordinary”, whereas Akitaro is viewed as “special”. Their bond grows through shared memories, giving the relationship more weight than a simple childhood introduction.
The story’s turning point is an incident whose nature remains undisclosed in the footage. The film will have to explain what happens between the two friends and how that event reshapes their lives. For now, the trailer confirms the tension between a carefully observed everyday life and the disruption that follows.
The French-Japanese production team
Kohei Kadowaki is credited with planning, writing, direction, storyboarding and editing. He also directed YOASOBI’s “Comet” music video.
NOTHING NEW handles planning and production, with MIYU PRODUCTION serving as co-producer. Yaffle provides the music, while Ryoto Bando voices Tsubasa and Amane Okayama voices Akitaro.
MIYU PRODUCTION’s involvement confirms the French side of the co-production, but it does not confirm a French release. Distribution information will be provided through JEU.VIDEO news and the anime section.
Japan has a date, France does not
The September 25, 2026 screenings will be the first opportunity for Japanese audiences to discover the film. French-speaking viewers currently have only the trailer and production credits to rely on, with no French distributor or streaming service announced.
We Are Aliens now has a defined period setting and a clear starting point built around Tsubasa and Akitaro’s childhood. Its release outside Japan remains the main unanswered question.
