CloverWorks announces debut of original anime film Grotesqqque in 2026 with new video

CloverWorks, a prominent anime studio, made a big announcement at Anime Expo regarding their upcoming original film, Grotesqqque (previously known as Grotesque), scheduled to premiere in 2026. The studio also unveiled a new video teaser for the project during the event. Directed by Atsushi Nishigori, known for his work on The IDOLM@STER and DARLING in the FRANXX, Grotesqqque will be an omnibus film comprising three distinct stories with varying worldviews.

The three stories included in the film are “Aeliens,” “4649 Girl” (pronounced as “Yoroshiku★Shōjo,” a play on the phrase “Nice to Meet You★Girl” with a literal translation of “Evening Dew Heads to Its Death★Girl”), and “Nocturne: Kono Grotesque na Yoru ni” (which translates to Nocturne: On This Grotesque Night, and is also romanized as “Nocturn: En Cette Nuit Grotesque” in the promotional video).

Grotesqqque is a JOEN production, a company formed through a collaboration between Sony media subsidiary Aniplex, CloverWorks animation studio, Wit Studio, and publisher Shueisha. Yūichi Fukushima, a producer at CloverWorks, and Tetsuya Nakatake, a producer at Wit Studio, serve as the representative directors of JOEN.

The film’s announcement at Anime Expo generated much buzz and excitement among anime fans. With a unique concept and the involvement of esteemed industry professionals, Grotesqqque is poised to be a highly anticipated project in the anime community. Stay tuned for more updates on this original anime film as it progresses towards its 2026 debut.