Grotesqqque

Grotesqqque
Theatrical release poster
Kanjiグロテスク
Revised HepburnGurotesuku
Directed byAtsushi Nishigori [ja]
Screenplay byAtsushi Nishigori
Produced byYuichi Fukushima
Starring
Production
company
Distributed by
Release dates
  • July 24, 2026 (2026-07-24) (Fantasia)
  • October 8, 2026 (2026-10-08) (New York City)
  • November 6, 2026 (2026-11-06) (Japan)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Grotesqqque (Japanese: グロテスク, Hepburn: Gurotesuku; stylized in all caps) is an upcoming Japanese animated anthology film written and directed by Atsushi Nishigori [ja]. Produced by CloverWorks and distributed by Aniplex and JOEN, the film features an ensemble cast consisting of Chika Anzai, Kana Ichinose, Maaya Uchida, Rumi Okubo, Rie Kugimiya, Miyu Tomita, Ikumi Hasegawa, Saori Hayami, Gen Hoshino, Sara Minami, and Nogizaka46 members Miku Ichinose, Nagi Inoue, Nao Tomisato, and Aruno Nakanishi across three stories containing different worldviews. The film is scheduled to release in Japanese theaters on November 6, 2026.

Synopsis

The film will consist of three stories:

Voice cast

Characters in Aeliens

Elie (エリー, Erī)
Voiced by: Kana Ichinose
A humanoid alien girl with a deep love for Earth's culture. She arrives at Earth to become its ambassador.
Kento Kunikura (國蔵謙人, Kunikura Kento)
Voiced by: Gen Hoshino
An earnest civil servant who is roped into Elie's unpredictable antics.

Characters in Yoroshiku Girl

Stella (ステラ, Sutera)
Voiced by: Sara Minami
A high school dropout who decides to join the Queen of Butterflies death game after hearing its urban legend.
Unknown (名無し, Nanashi)
Voiced by: Ikumi Hasegawa
A mysterious player of the Queen of Butterflies wielding extremely powerful equipment.
Hikarin (ヒカリン)
Voiced by: Saori Hayami
A figure involved with the urban legend of the Queen of Butterflies.
Gorgeous☆Mika (ゴージャス☆MIKA, Gōjasu Mika)
Voiced by: Maaya Uchida
A high-ranking player of the Queen of Butterflies possessing immense strength.
Sword (ソード, Sōdo)
Voiced by: Chika Anzai
A fast swordswoman and high-ranking player of the Queen of Butterflies.
Chiffon (しふぉん, Shifuon)
Voiced by: Miyu Tomita
A lonely bombmaker and high-ranking player of the Queen of Butterflies.
Papico (ぱぴこ, Papiko)
Voiced by: Rumi Okubo
A high-ranking player of the Queen of Butterflies with a heightened sense of hearing and a scythe.
Poyomi (ポヨミ)
Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya
The commentator and host of the Queen of Butterflies.

Characters in Nocturne: Nuit Grotesque

Ayame (アヤメ)
Voiced by: Nagi Inoue
An immortal and pure-blooded vampire and the leader of her party.
Shion (シオン)
Voiced by: Aruno Nakanishi
A human-turned-vampire and member of Ayame's party who begins to sense Ayame's loneliness despite her immortality.
Momo (モモ)
Voiced by: Miku Ichinose
A spoiled human-turned-vampire and member of Ayame's party. She has an appreciation for manga.
Canna (カンナ, Kanna)
Voiced by: Nao Tomisato
A responsible human-turned-vampire and member of Ayame's party, often acting as the group's older sister figure.

Production

After directing Darling in the Franxx in 2018, Atsushi Nishigori was approached to direct a feature film, though he initially declined in order to rest. Nishigori would nevertheless develop concepts that reflected his passions and styles as an animator, director, and producer, remarking that the project "comes from his heart".

Realizing his ideas would not be able to fit into one story, Nishigori decided to expand his concepts into three separate stories. He also anticipated that this direction would potentially confuse and bore the audience, so he coordinated with the production team to change each story's style while fine-tuning them and maintaining the project's balance, further admitting he would become the project's bottleneck. Nishigori expounded that this allowed each story to shine on their own, from the pastel colors and comedy feel of Aeliens to the arthouse animation and sapphic romance depicted in Nocturne: Nuit Grotesque.

On July 5, 2024, during the CloverWorks industry panel at Anime Expo 2024, the studio teased an original film titled Grotesque that would be directed by Nishigori and distributed by Aniplex and JOEN. CloverWorks would later announce further details of the film during their panel at Anime Expo 2025, revealing it is an omnibus film renamed to Grotesqqque.

Release

The film was initially scheduled to release in 2025, though it would be later delayed. The film is set to release in Japanese theaters on November 6, 2026. Prior to its release, the film had its world premiere under the Animation Plus section of the 30th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal on July 24 of the same year. The film also had its American premiere on October 8, with Japan Society hosting the screening in New York City and Atsushi Nishigori in attendance.

Music

The film features an ensemble of singers and composers, totaling to 35 musical contributors that are split amongst the three stories. Notable contributors include Taku Inoue, Tsumiki, and Nanahira for Aeliens; Reol, Kanon Shizaki, and Rei Yasuda for Yoroshiku Girl; and Kairi Yagi and eba for Nocturne: Nuit Grotesque. The film's main theme song is "Shoot Shoot Shoot," performed by musical contributor Metalverse. Nishigori revealed that he enlisted the help of Sony Music Japan and Yōsuke Hasegawa, the film's music producer, to develop ideas and compose music that best complement the diverse visuals of each of the three stories.

Other media

Three manga one-shots serving as spin-offs of each of the film's stories are set to be released on Shōnen Jump+ in early November. These are Aeliens, the spin-off of the story of the same name; Young Panther 19 Buchigillle Knowing, the spin-off of Yoroshiku Girl; and nocturne ~Kiremeku Yoru, Tsumugu Eien~, the spin-off of Nocturne: Nuit Grotesque.

Notes

  1. ↑ Stylized as Æliens.
  2. ↑ The number 4649 can be read in goroawase as "yoroshiku".

References

  1. 1 2 "GROTESQQQUE". Fantasia International Film Festival. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Loo, Egan (July 5, 2024). "The Idol@ster's Atsushi Nishogori Helms 'Grotesque' Film at CloverWorks for 2025". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  3. ↑ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (May 30, 2026). "CloverWorks' Original Omnibus Anime Film Grotesqqque Reveals 14 Cast Members". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  4. ↑ 錦織敦史×CloverWorksのオリジナルアニメ「GROTESQQQUE -グロテスク-」2026年劇場公開. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 4, 2025. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 4, 2025). "CloverWorks' Original Anime Film Grotesqqque Reveals 2026 Debut in New Video". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  6. ↑ EPISODE |『GROTESQQQUE-グロテスク-』. movie-gtq123.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  7. 1 2 @grotesqqque (July 20, 2026). GTQ1 | エリィアンズ
 ❬❰ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ / ᴄᴀꜱᴛ ❱❭ (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved July 22, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 @grotesqqque (July 21, 2026). GTQ2 | 夜露死駆★少女 ❬❰ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ / ᴄᴀꜱᴛ ❱❭ (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved July 22, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  9. 1 2 3 4 @grotesqqque (July 22, 2026). GTQ3 | ノクターン～このグロテスクな夜に～ ❬❰ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ / ᴄᴀꜱᴛ ❱❭ (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved July 22, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  10. 1 2 3 Simons, Blake (October 30, 2026). "Aliens, Battle Royales, And Vampire Romance: Atsushi Nishigori Poured His All Into 'Grotesqqque,' A Three-Course Anime Omnibus". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved November 1, 2026.
  11. ↑ Mateo, Alex (July 5, 2026). "CloverWorks' Omnibus Anime Film Grotesqqque Reveals Trailer, Visual, Opening Theme Song, November 6 Debut". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  12. ↑ Foreman, Alison (July 2, 2026). "Fantasia's 30th Edition Will Open with Nicolas Winding Refn's 'Her Private Hell' — Final Lineup". IndieWire. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  13. ↑ Tai, Anita (September 28, 2026). "CloverWorks' Omnibus Anime Film Grotesqqque Premieres in U.S. on October 8". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 28, 2026.
  14. ↑ Cayanan, Joanna (June 17, 2026). "CloverWorks' Omnibus Anime Film Grotesqqque Reveals 35 Musical Contributors". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  15. ↑ 予告映像解禁！オープニングテーマを飾るのは＜METALVERSE＞！METALVERSEからコメントも到着！|『GROTESQQQUE-グロテスク-』. movie-gtq123.com (in Japanese). July 5, 2026. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  16. ↑ Tan, Melvyn (October 30, 2026). "GROTESQQQUE Anime Anthology to Get One-Shot Manga Spin-offs in November". Anime Trending. Retrieved November 1, 2026.