Trailer: Enter the virtual dream world of Mamoru Hosoda's "Belle"

June 6 2021

Parisian film sales agency Charades and Studio Chizu (Japan) of anime master Mamoru Hosoda have released the full international trailer of belle, the director's latest visionary animated film ready to transport viewers into a captivating and beautifully crafted world. The film will be released in Japan on July 16 for Toho; Nippon Television manages sales in Asia.

belle follows Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student who lives in a rural village with her father. For years she was just a shadow of herself. One day he enters "U", a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, it is no longer Suzu but Belle, a world famous singer. Soon he meets a mysterious creature. Together, they embark on a journey of adventure, challenge and love in their quest to become who they really are.

belle is Hosoda's ninth project and follows the 2018 Oscar nominee Mirai, which had its world premiere at the Directors' Fortnight in Cannes and received the Annie Award for Best Animated Film. The new film promises everything that can be expected from Hosoda's original vision: a touching coming-of-age story with a philosophical slant and an emotional style, which explores the dynamics he has already faced in films such as Summer Wars (2009)

As previously announced, the upcoming film boasts a top-tier crew of international talent, the first of its kind in Japanese animation history. Character designer Jin Kim, who has previously worked on several iconic Disney films such as Frozen e Moana, formed the title character. British architect and designer Eric Wong brought Hosoda's design to life, creating the never-before-seen world of "U". Directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart of Cartoon Saloon, the Irish animation studio behind the Oscar-nominated films Song of the sea, The secret of Kells e wolfwalkers, have contributed with their talent to fantasy scenes set in the virtual world.

belle is produced by longtime Hosoda collaborator Yuichiro Saito, President of Studio Chizu.