The animated feature film Wareware wa Uchūjin (We Are Aliens) held its Japan premiere on August 25 at TOHOシネマズ六本木ヒルズ in Tokyo. Before the screening, director Kadowaki Kōhei took the stage alongside voice actors Bandō Ryūta (Tsubasa), Okayama Amane (Akitarō), and Matsui Kemuri of comedy duo Reiwa Roman (Batahara) to discuss the film and share recording anecdotes.

A Debut Feature Bound for Cannes and Annecy

Scheduled for a nationwide Japanese release on September 25, 2026, Wareware wa Uchūjin is the debut feature from 29-year-old director Kadowaki, previously known for directing the music video for YOASOBI’s “Yasashii Suisei.” The film follows a 30-year friendship between Tsubasa, a shy boy who worries about being ordinary, and Akitarō, the most popular kid in class. The film has already earned significant attention, having been selected for the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival and the feature competition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026.

Sealing Childhood Memories in a Vacuum Pack

Kadowaki explained that the film grew out of a long-held desire to watch a movie that could “vacuum-seal” the fading sensations of his own childhood. When no such film appeared, he felt a sense of mission to make it himself.

Though the setting is fictional, he designed it to feel universally familiar — somewhere every viewer might recognize as their own hometown. Over four to five years, he conducted location scouting across Japan, including Kōchi and Niigata prefectures, collecting images of landscapes, bridges, and school buildings that he then “patchworked” together into a world anyone could feel nostalgic about.

Fujimoto Tatsuki’s Glowing Endorsement — and a Dinner to Confirm It

Chainsaw Man creator Fujimoto Tatsuki contributed a comment for the film, writing: “I’ve been jealous ever since I saw it at the advance screening” and “This was a movie I loved super-super-mega-mega-mega. I will definitely go see it multiple times!”

Kadowaki recalled his disbelief upon first reading the comment, laughing that he had to double-check it was real. He revealed that after the advance screening he went out to eat with Fujimoto and asked point-blank whether the string of “super”s and “mega”s was accurate — to which Fujimoto confirmed every word. “He conveyed his impressions with a lot of heat after the screening, and I was genuinely overjoyed,” Kadowaki said.

Cast Reactions: “Something Incredible Is Happening Here”

Bandō said that watching the finished film, he was overwhelmed by the director’s “obsession” and the team’s passion, feeling lucky to have been part of something so significant. He praised the film’s fine detail and the realism of its atmosphere, saying it felt as though he had truly been living inside it. Okayama described being struck by the film’s “intensity,” adding that the expressions on fellow audience members’ faces as they left the advance screening confirmed the power he had sensed when he first received the role.

Matsui noted that the director, staff, and cast are all close in age, which made the film’s nostalgia feel genuinely personal — like events that actually happened in his own elementary school days. Bandō agreed, saying the film’s setting looked just like the town he grew up in.

Recording Together: “A Genius Called Me a Genius”

Okayama reflected on the experience of recording alongside Bandō, saying that while they had worked together before, they rarely shared scenes. Being able to stand next to each other and feel the “temperature” of each other’s performances in real time was invaluable. He called Bandō “a genius,” prompting Bandō to laugh and say, “Being called a genius by a genius is pretty nice,” before admitting he had been very nervous given how many of Okayama’s projects he had watched. Director Kadowaki added his own endorsement, promising that audiences would be “truly surprised” by Okayama’s portrayal of Akitarō — a side of him no one has seen before.

Hand-Drawn Portraits and a Heartfelt Farewell

In a nod to the film’s entirely hand-drawn animation, the event’s latter half featured Bandō, Okayama, and Matsui drawing caricatures of one another. Kadowaki surprised all three with caricature portraits of his own as a gift.

Closing the event, Kadowaki said with evident emotion: “This is truly the first screening for a Japanese audience. I have been looking forward to this day so much.” He left the crowd with a final message: “I believe these two hours will be a time for each of you to rediscover something precious you had forgotten. Please savor every moment right through to the end.”

Film Details

Wareware wa Uchūjin
Nationwide Japan release: September 25, 2026

Staff

• Planning / Screenplay / Director: Kadowaki Kōhei
• Music: Yaffle
• Planning / Production: NOTHING NEW
• Cooperation: MIYU PRODUCTIONS
• Distribution: TOHO NEXT · NOTHING NEW

Cast

• Tsubasa: Bandō Ryūta
• Akitarō: Okayama Amane
• Konatsu: Yamazaki Ten (Sakurazaka46)
• Batahara: Matsui Kemuri (Reiwa Roman)
• Toda Seiya: Sano Gaku
• Toda Seiya (childhood): Ōseki Reika
• Matsushita Elmo: Sasaki Arisa
• Calligraphy teacher: Ed Harumi