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Scarlet (Hateshinaki Sukâretto) 2025

Scarlet (Japanese title: Hateshinaki Scarlet, meaning "Scarlet Without Limits") is a 2025 Japanese animated epic fantasy film written and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (Belle, Mirai), produced by Studio Chizu. The film is an ambitious, time-bending revenge story inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet. The plot follows the eponymous medieval-era princess, Scarlet (voiced by Mana Ashida), who embarks on a quest to avenge the murder of her kind-hearted father, King Amlet (Masachika Ichimura), by his ruthless and power-hungry brother, Claudius (Kōji Yakusho). After her initial revenge attempt fails and she is fatally wounded, Scarlet awakens in a surreal, metaphysical realm known as the "Land of the Dead." This world is for the "unfulfilled," and if she does not complete her vengeance and reach the "Endless Place," she will be reduced to "Emptiness" and cease to exist. Her journey is unexpectedly intertwined with Hijiri (Masaki Okada), an idealistic young man from modern-day Japan who helps her heal, forcing Scarlet to confront her cycle of hatred and find a new meaning in life beyond revenge. The film premiered theatrically in Japan on November 21, 2025. It debuted at No. 3 at the Japanese box office, earning an estimated 270 million yen (approximately $1.73 million USD) in its first four days. Although a strong debut, this figure is lower than the openings of Hosoda’s previous films, suggesting a mixed initial reception in his home country. In North America, the release schedule has been modified: while originally slated for a wide release on December 12, the North American release has been delayed to early 2026, with a limited awards-qualifying run having already taken place. Sony Pictures is the primary international distributor. Initial reviews from its festival run (including a screening at the Venice International Film Festival) have been mixed-to-positive. Critics praise Hosoda’s innovative animation style, which moves beyond traditional 2D and Hollywood-style CG to create a unique, gorgeous, and sometimes unsettling visual spectacle. The film is lauded for its dazzling action sequences and the committed voice performances, particularly Kōji Yakusho as the menacing Claudius. However, some criticism has been leveled at the narrative, with reviewers noting that the story can feel "streamlined and sentimental," occasionally lacking the thematic complexity of Belle or Wolf Children, but ultimately delivering a powerful and deeply personal meditation on grief and rage. As a major theatrical release distributed internationally by Sony Pictures, the film is currently in its exclusive cinema window. It is not yet available on any subscription streaming platform. However, given the distribution pipeline, it is highly likely to be available for digital purchase/rental (VOD) in the US in early 2026, followed by a subscription streaming release sometime later in the year, depending on the distributor's output deals. Read More

• 2025
• 1 h : 51 min
• 76 views
• 6.154
• PG-13