We Are Aliens (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

We Are Aliens is a Japanese animated drama about Tsubasa and Gyotaro, two third-grade boys whose close friendship is changed by a sudden incident. Set against a rural Japanese childhood, the film explores memory, separation and the possibility of reconnecting with someone from the past.

We Are Aliens is a 2026 Japanese animated drama centered on a friendship formed during one summer in third grade. The film follows Tsubasa, a quiet boy, and Gyotaro, a classmate admired by everyone around him, as they grow close within the limited but vivid world of school and childhood.

Their bond is interrupted by an unexpected incident, giving the story a coming-of-age framework shaped by nostalgia, distance and reunion. Directed and written by Kohei Kadowaki, the film is a Japan-France production with a 1-hour-57-minute runtime.

We Are Aliens movie details

Story without spoilers

The story begins when Tsubasa meets Gyotaro during a summer in the third grade. Although their personalities and positions within the classroom differ, the two boys develop a meaningful friendship and share moments that become important parts of their childhood.

That period does not last unchanged. A small incident separates them, creating the central tension of the film without revealing how their relationship develops afterward. With its rural Japan setting and focus on school life, We Are Aliens presents a personal story about childhood friends, the memories they carry and the possibility of meeting again.

What to expect

The supplied genre and premise point to a character-focused animated drama rather than an action-driven story. Its main concerns include male friendship, nostalgia, coming of age, childhood separation and reunion. The school setting and rural Japanese context suggest an intimate depiction of youth, while the Japanese-language voice cast supports its anime identity.

The film’s 1-hour-57-minute runtime allows room for the friendship between Tsubasa and Gyotaro to develop before the turning point that divides them. Viewers can expect the story to move between the immediacy of childhood experience and the emotional weight of looking back on it, although specific narrative developments beyond the premise are not provided.

Cast and creative team

Kohei Kadowaki serves as both director and writer. Ryota Bando voices Tsubasa, while Amane Okayama voices Gyotaro. Ten Yamasaki plays Konatsu, Kemuri Matsui voices Batahara, and Gaku Sano voices Seiya Toda. Reika Oozeki provides the voice of Young Seiya Toda, with Arisa Sasaki as Elmo Matsushita.

The additional voice cast includes Edo Harumi as the Calligraphy teacher, Yûto Maki as Young Tsubasa and Tasuku Nakagome as Young Gyotaro. The listed performers indicate that the film includes both the boys’ present childhood roles and younger versions of its central characters.

• Ryota Bando as Tsubasa (voice)
• Amane Okayama as Gyotaro (voice)
• Ten Yamasaki as Konatsu (voice)
• Kemuri Matsui as Batahara (voice)
• Gaku Sano as Seiya Toda (voice)
• Reika Oozeki as Young Seiya Toda (voice)
• Arisa Sasaki as Elmo Matsushita (voice)
• Edo Harumi as Calligraphy teacher (voice)
• Yûto Maki as Young Tsubasa (voice)
• Tasuku Nakagome as Young Gyotaro (voice)

Release and production context

We Are Aliens is scheduled for release on September 25, 2026, and is listed as released in the supplied metadata. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 57 minutes. The film is produced by Miyu Productions and NOTHING NEW as a Japan-France co-production. Japanese is the listed spoken language, and the film is categorized as Animation and Drama.

Production companies: Miyu Productions, NOTHING NEW

We Are Aliens official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

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We Are Aliens offers a focused premise built around a childhood friendship that is formed, disrupted and remembered. Its combination of animation, rural Japanese school life and reunion-centered drama gives the film a clear emotional foundation, while the available details leave the later course of Tsubasa and Gyotaro’s relationship open.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb