KILLTUBE Anime al Selected for Annecy Festival's Work in Progress

The original theatrical anime film KILLTUBE don al selected for the Work in Progress section of the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.

The film, directed by Kazuki Kuribayashi and scheduled for completion in 2026, will be presented by the director at the festival. The Work in Progress section showcases in-production films to industry professionals.

KILLTUBE was announced in April 2024 as a project with a total production budget of approximately 1 billion yen. Its teaser trailer has surpassed 5 million views online.

The film is set in a Japan where the Edo period never ended. In this closed-off society, a rigid caste system governs all aspects of life. The only way to change one's social status is to win on the state-run duel-streaming platform, also called KILLTUBE.

The story follows three characters from the lowest social stratum: Musashi, a boy raised by dogs; the swindler Kikuchiyo; and the inventor Leo. As they rise through the ranks using unorthodox methods, they attract the attention of the shogun, Ieyasu, and begin to uncover the unsettling distortions within their society.

The film is being produced by STUDIO DOTOU, with Kuribayashi serving as planner and director. It is planned as a 90-minute feature.

The 50th Annecy International Animation Film Festival is scheduled to run from June 21 to June 27, 2026, in Annecy, France.

Source: PR Times via 株式会社チョコレイト