The 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, held in Annecy, France from June 21 to June 27, saw two Japanese works claim top honors: the animated feature film A New Dawn and the television anime Takopi’s Original Sin.

A New Dawn

A New Dawn opened in Japan on March 6, having been delayed from its originally planned release last year. The film was directed, conceived, and scripted by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya. Utsushita, known for character design work on Heavenly Delusion, handled character design, while Akiko Majima (Suzume) served as artist. Shūta Hasunuma composed the score, and imase performs the theme song “Aoba” (Green Leaves).

The film had previously been spotlighted at Annecy’s “Animation Day” in May 2024, where Shinomiya introduced the project alongside a making-of video. At this year’s festival, it competed in the Contrechamp competition section.

Takopi’s Original Sin

The Takopi’s Original Sin TV anime was directed by Shinya Iino (Dr. Stone, Dr. Stone: Stone Wars), who also oversaw the series scripts. Keita Nagahara — a key animator on Violet Evergarden, Sound! Euphonium, and Sonny Boy — designed the characters, and ENISHIYA produced the series. A compilation film titled Takopii no Genzai -Arigatō, Mata Ashita- (Takopi’s Original Sin: Thank You, See You Tomorrow) has also been announced.

Other Japanese Titles at Annecy 2026

Feature Films: Official (Competition)

• NOTHING NEW
• We Are Aliens (Ware Ware wa Uchūjin) by animator Kōhei Kadowaki

Contrechamp (Competition)

• Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise (Peleliu: Rakuen no Guernica)
• The Obsessed (musical anime film)
• A New Dawn

Annecy Presents (Non-competitive)

• CHIMNEY TOWN: Frozen in Time (Entotsu-chō no Poupelle ~Yakusoku no Tokeidai~)
• Paris ni Saku Étoile (L’étoile de Paris en fleur) — original anime film
• The Camphorwood Custodian (Kusunoki no Bannin / The Keeper of the Camphor Tree)
• The Ribbon Hero — based on Osamu Tezuka‘s Princess Knight (Ribbon no Kishi) manga

Annecy’s Midnight Specials (Out of Competition)

• Sekiro: No Defeat — new anime based on FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

TV Films (Competition)

• Takopi’s Original Sin
• Candy Caries
• Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia
• Sparks of Tomorrow (episode 1)

Graduation Films

• “Plankton α” by Yini Guo
• “So He Grabbed the Knife” (Soshite Knife wo Te ni Shita) by Sam Kuwa

Commissioned Films

• Opening credits of CAPCOM’s animated series Devil May Cry

Ghost in the Shell Global Premiere

One of the festival’s most anticipated events was the global premiere of Science SARU‘s new television anime The Ghost in the Shell (Kōkaku Kidōtai THE GHOST IN THE SHELL). The first two episodes screened as a special Screening Event titled “Dive into ‘THE GHOST IN THE SHELL.'”

Short Films and Graduation Films from Japan

• Short Films Official: “Haru no Umi” (The Spring Sea) by Kōji Yamamura
• Perspectives: “Bucketman” by Yakata Kanata; “Rest” by Ryotaro Miyajima
• Midnight Shorts: “A Couple Clucking Chickens Were Still Kickin’ in the Schoolyard” by Seishirō Nagaya (from Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26); “Builder” by Ryoji Yamada
• Graduation Films: “Slap” by Yiling Wang (music by Daisuke Ishikawa)