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Maboroshi, Kurayukaba Films Compete at 2nd Niigata Int'l Animation Film Festival

The Niigata International Animation Film Festival revealed its feature film competition lineup on Friday, which includes two Japanese films: Kurayukaba (pictured at right) and maboroshi. Twelve total films will screen in competition at this year's festival.

Netflix began streaming Mari Okada and MAPPA's original anime film Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Kōjō (Alice and Therese's Illusory Factory) under the title maboroshi on January 15. The film premiered in Japan on September 15.

Shigeyoshi Tsukahara and Twiflo's original full-length anime film project Kurayukaba will open in Japan on April 12, and a spinoff full-length anime film titled Kuramerukagari will also open in Japan on April 12.

This year's festival will take place on March 15-20.

The first Niigata International Animation Film Festival was held in March 2023, and featured Mamoru Oshii as the judging committee chairman. The festival screened the unrealized live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Ōtomo's Domu manga along with a retrospective section on Ōtomo. The festival also screened Shinichiro Watanabe's (Cowboy Bebop) "A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot," and Shuhei Morita's (Freedom, Tokyo Ghoul) "Roots" (Tsuru no Mai) animated short films.

The festival is planned to run every year, and it aims to be the largest festival of feature-length anime in Asia.

Niigata has hosted the Niigata Anime and Manga Festival and Niigata Manga Awards. The city is also home to some anime studios.

Sources: Niigata International Animation Film Festival, Comic Natalie