Kōhei Kadowaki’s debut feature-length animated film Waware wa Uchuujin (We Are Aliens) is set to premiere on September 25, following celebrated screenings at the Cannes Film Festival and the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The nostalgic coming-of-age story spans three decades in a provincial Heisei-era town, charting the enduring friendship between Tsubasa—a reserved boy struggling with ordinary anxieties—and Aketarou, a charismatic and unconventional classmate.
Achieving international critical recognition on his very first feature without prior television anime direction experience, Kadowaki represents an exciting new voice in contemporary Japanese animation. In a recent interview, the director discussed the meticulous craftsmanship behind the film, his approach to narrative pacing, and the unique production methods that bridge live-action reference footage with traditional hand-drawn aesthetics.
