{"id":7208,"date":"2025-10-30T16:28:55","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T23:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/?p=7208"},"modified":"2026-04-12T23:53:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T06:53:55","slug":"japanese-film-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/en\/japanese-film-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese Films Playing in U.S. Theaters in 2026 (KOKUHO wide release expected in Feb)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Living abroad makes it harder to catch new Japanese movies \u2014 that\u2019s the worst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if you\u2019re in the U.S. (especially Los Angeles, which has many film festivals), there are still plenty of chances to see Japanese films on the big screen. In recent years GKIDS and other North American distributors have been bringing more Japanese titles to U.S. cinemas. This page lists the Japanese films scheduled to screen in U.S. theaters in 2026. I\u2019ll update this post as new information becomes available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/i>Japan’s No1 hit 2025 “KOKUHO”<\/span><\/p>

\n

GKIDS, a U.S. film distributor, has acquired the North American distribution rights to \u201cKOKUHO.\u201d The film will open in Los Angeles and New York on February 6, 2026, followed by a nationwide release starting February 20, 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/dt>

Japanese Films Playing in U.S. Theaters in 2025<\/p>

A complete list of Japanese films screened in U.S. theaters in 2025, including Studio Ghibli titles such as The Boy and the Heron and Kiki\u2019s Delivery Service, Mamoru Hosoda films like Summer Wars, Gundam classics and new releases, Attack on Titan, Cowboy Bebop, and more. (KOKUHO opens nationwide in early 2026.)<\/p><\/div><\/dd><\/dl><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jan\u2013Mar releases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n


(Screening periods vary by theater \u2014 check local listings.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Lupin the IIIrd the Movie: The Immortal Bloodline<\/strong><\/strong> | 2025 release | North American theatrical release starting Jan 4-6, 2026<\/strong> (GKIDS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz<\/strong> | 1997 release | Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphan<\/strong> | 2015 release | Premium show on Jan 12, 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • ALL YOU NEED IS KILL<\/strong> | 2026 release | North American theatrical release starting Jan 16, 2026<\/strong> (GKIDS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • KOKUHO<\/strong> | 2025 release | North American theatrical release starting Feb, 2026<\/strong> (GKIDS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Scarlet<\/strong> | 2025 release | North American theatrical release starting Feb, 13 2026 (GKIDS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Fruits Basket -prelude-<\/strong> | 2022 release | 1 day playing on Feb 16, 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n



    Apr\u2013Jun releases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Labyrinth<\/strong> | 2026 release | May 10&11, 2026 (GKIDS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n



      Jul\u2013Sep releases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n



        Oct\u2013Dec releases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Gozzila Minus Zero<\/strong> | 2026 release | starting at Nov 6, 2026<\/strong>. (GKIDS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Japanese films rumored to receive a North American theatrical release<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • ChaO\uff08\u30c1\u30e3\u30aa\uff09<\/strong> \u2014 2025 release \u2014 Winner of the Jury Prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2025.<\/em> Set to screen at Animation is Film Festival 2025.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Exit 8\uff088\u756a\u51fa\u53e3\uff09<\/strong> \u2014 2025 release \u2014 Official selection of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Japanese films screened in U.S. theaters \/ festivals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n


            For reference, below are the Japanese films (2012\u20132025) that MAY was able to see in U.S. theaters or at film festivals (mainly in Los Angeles). I selected only titles that were shown in the U.S. at around the same time as their Japanese releases \u2014 not revival screenings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • Rurouni Kenshin<\/strong>\uff08\u308b\u308d\u3046\u306b\u5263\u5fc3\uff09 \u2014 Director: Keishi \u00d4tomo \u2014 2012 \u00b7 LA Eiga Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Helter Skelter<\/strong>\uff08\u30d8\u30eb\u30bf\u30fc\u30b9\u30b1\u30eb\u30bf\u30fc\uff09 \u2014 Director: Mika Ninagawa \u2014 2012 \u00b7 LA Eiga Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Wolf Children<\/strong>\uff08\u304a\u304a\u304b\u307f\u3053\u3069\u3082\u306e\u96e8\u3068\u96ea \/ \u014ckami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki\uff09 \u2014 Director: Mamoru Hosoda \u2014 2012 \u00b7 film festival screening<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • The Great Passage<\/strong>\uff08\u821f\u3092\u7de8\u3080 \/ Fune wo Amu\uff09 \u2014 Director: Y\u00fbya Ishii \u2014 2013 \u00b7 film festival screening<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Like Father, Like Son<\/strong>\uff08\u305d\u3057\u3066\u7236\u306b\u306a\u308b \/ Soshite Chichi ni Naru\uff09 \u2014 Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda \u2014 2013 \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno \/ The Legend Ends<\/strong>\uff08\u308b\u308d\u3046\u306b\u5263\u5fc3 \u4eac\u90fd\u5927\u706b\u7de8\uff0f\u4f1d\u8aac\u306e\u6700\u671f\u7de8\uff09 \u2014 Director: Keishi \u00d4tomo \u2014 2014 \u00b7 LA Eiga Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • (\u55b0\u5973)<\/strong> \u2014 Director: Takashi Miike \u2014 2014? \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Sweet Bean (An)<\/strong>\uff08\u3042\u3093\uff09 \u2014 Director: Naomi Kawase \u2014 2015 \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Our Little Sister<\/strong>\uff08\u6d77\u8857diary \/ Umimachi Diary\uff09 \u2014 Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda \u2014 2015 \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Your Name.<\/strong>\uff08\u541b\u306e\u540d\u306f\u3002\uff09 \u2014 Director: Makoto Shinkai \u2014 2016? \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • In This Corner of the World<\/strong>\uff08\u3053\u306e\u4e16\u754c\u306e\u7247\u9685\u306b\uff09 \u2014 Director: Sunao Katabuchi \u2014 2016? \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Shin Godzilla<\/strong>\uff08\u30b7\u30f3\u30fb\u30b4\u30b8\u30e9\uff09 \u2014 Director: Shinji Higuchi \u2014 2016? \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • One Cut of the Dead<\/strong>\uff08\u30ab\u30e1\u30e9\u3092\u6b62\u3081\u308b\u306a\uff09 \u2014 Director: Shinichir\u00f4 Ueda \u2014 2017 \u00b7 Japan Film Festival Los Angeles<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Mirai<\/strong>\uff08\u672a\u6765\u306e\u30df\u30e9\u30a4\uff09 \u2014 Director: Mamoru Hosoda \u2014 2019 \u00b7 Animation Is Film Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Weathering With You<\/strong>\uff08\u5929\u6c17\u306e\u5b50\uff09 \u2014 Director: Makoto Shinkai \u2014 2019 \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Wife of a Spy<\/strong>\uff08\u30b9\u30d1\u30a4\u306e\u59bb\uff09 \u2014 Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa \u2014 2020? \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Poupelle of Chimney Town<\/strong>\uff08\u3048\u3093\u3068\u3064\u753a\u306e\u30d7\u30da\u30eb\uff09 \u2014 Original: Akihiro Nishino \u2014 2021 \u00b7 Animation festival screening<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Belle<\/strong>\uff08\u7adc\u3068\u305d\u3070\u304b\u3059\u306e\u59eb \/ Ry\u016b to Sobakasu no Hime\uff09 \u2014 Director: Mamoru Hosoda \u2014 2021? \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Drive My Car<\/strong>\uff08\u30c9\u30e9\u30a4\u30d6\u30fb\u30de\u30a4\u30fb\u30ab\u30fc\uff09 \u2014 Director: Ry\u00fbsuke Hamaguchi \u2014 2021 \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • THE FIRST SLAM DUNK<\/strong>\uff08FIRST SLAM DUNK\uff09 \u2014 Creator: Takehiko Inoue \u2014 2022? \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • ONI<\/strong>\uff08ONI\uff09 \u2014 Director: Daisuke Tsutsumi \u2014 2022 \u00b7 Animation Is Film Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • No Evil Exists<\/strong>\uff08\u60aa\u306f\u5b58\u5728\u3057\u306a\u3044 \/ Aku wa Sonzai Shinai\uff09 \u2014 Director: Ry\u00fbsuke Hamaguchi \u2014 2023 \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Perfect Days<\/strong> \u2014 Director: Wim Wenders \u2014 2023 \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Ryuichi Sakamoto | OPUS<\/strong> \u2014 Director: \u7a7a\u97f3\u592e (name shown in original) \u2014 2023 \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Monster<\/strong>\uff08\u602a\u7269 \/ Kaibutsu\uff09 \u2014 Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda \u2014 2023 \u00b7 North American premiere event<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Suzume<\/strong>\uff08\u3059\u305a\u3081\u306e\u6238\u7de0\u307e\u308a\uff09 \u2014 Director: Makoto Shinkai \u2014 2023 \u00b7 theatrical (Crunchyroll distribution)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Cowboy Bebop: The Movie\uff08\u30ab\u30a6\u30dc\u30fc\u30a4\u30d3\u30d0\u30c3\u30d7 \u5929\u56fd\u306e\u6249\uff09<\/strong><\/strong> \u2014 Director: Shinichir\u014d Watanabe \u2014 2025 \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Summer Wars\uff08\u30b5\u30de\u30fc\u30a6\u30a9\u30fc\u30ba\uff09<\/strong><\/strong> \u2014 Director: Mamoru Hosoda \u2014 2025 \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • 100 Meters\uff08\u3072\u3083\u304f\u3048\u3080\u3002\uff09<\/strong><\/strong> \u2014 Director: Kenji Iwaisawa \u2014 2025 \u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Spirited Away\uff08\u5343\u3068\u5343\u5c0b\u306e\u795e\u96a0\u3057\uff09<\/strong><\/strong> \u2014 Director: Hayao Miyazaki \u2014 2025\u00b7 theatrical<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • KOKUHO<\/strong>\uff08\u56fd\u5b9d\uff09 \u2014 Director: Sang-Il Lee \u2014 2025 \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • RENTAL FAMILY\uff08\u30ec\u30f3\u30bf\u30eb\u30fb\u30d5\u30a1\u30df\u30ea\u30fc\uff09 <\/strong>\u2014 Director: HIKARI \u2014 2025 \u00b7 AFI Fest<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Japanese films in U.S. theaters 2025 \u2014 schedules, distributors, and where to buy tickets. Updated lineup and festival screenings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6389,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/?p=6384","footnotes":""},"categories":[134,83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-movie","category-westcoast-style","en-US"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7208"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7428,"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7208\/revisions\/7428"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.west-coaster.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}