GKIDS has acquired the theatrical rights for the newly established animation studio CLAP and the film Pompo the Cinephile by God Eater director Takayuki Hirao.
Success of indie anime Pompo the Cinephile will hit North American theaters next year.
US film distributor GKIDS Films has announced the acquisition of the recently released and critically acclaimed animated feature Pompo the Cinephile. New animation studio CLAP’s debut film, Pompo the Cinephile, opened in Japan on June 4 and grossed around $1.8 million during its theatrical run. The anime was selected to screen during Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival. While there’s still no definite international release date, GKIDS confirmed the anime will hit North American theaters with both the Japanese original with subtitles and a new English dub in 2022.
GKIDS is proud to announce the acquisition of the North American rights to POMPO THE CINEPHILE, the debut feature from new studio CLAP and directed by Takayuki Hirao.
An indie hit in Japan, #PompoMovie will hit theaters in 2022 in both Japanese and a new English dub. ????✨ pic.twitter.com/40LIDsrrmX
— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) September 16, 2021
Pompo the Cinephile is the first major project and is also owned by a newly launched studio that previously only produced an anime film celebrating the 10th anniversary of HoneyWorks’ virtual idol unit LIPxLIP. Action anime director Takayuki Hirao, the director behind many works by anime studio Ufotable, including GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack, God Eater, Magical Sisters Yoyo & Nene and Garden of Sinners: Paradox Spiral, director Pompo the Cinephile, while Shingo Adachi (Sword Art Online, Working !! ) created the character designs. Takafumi Nishima (Accel World, E’s Without) and Miu Miyamoto (Deji Meets Girl, Did I Say To Make My Abilities in the Next Life ?!) are the film’s art directors.
Since its founding in 2008, GKIDS has localized international animated films for North American audiences and recently distributed Makoto Shinkai’s hit film Weathering With You in the region. Most famously, GKIDS licensed the theater and home media rights to much of Studio Ghibli’s film library, and also acquired the Blu-ray, theatrical and digital rights to the Neon Genesis Evangelion series of films. original, including The End of Evangelion.
Based on the two-volume manga by Shogo Sugitani, GKIDS describes Pompo the Cinephile as “celebrating the power of film and the joy and pain of the creative process.” The film tells the story of Joelle Davidovich Pomponette or “Pompo”, a talented film producer in “Nyallywood” with the ability to bring out the best in his actors. Despite his natural talent, Pompo was fired from producing B-movies and pornographic films for many years. One day, she informs film buff and reluctant production assistant Gene that he will be directing her latest script, a drama about an artistic genius. Things get complicated when legendary but tough actor Martin Braddock and a new actress looking for their breakout role join the production. As the project turns increasingly chaotic, director Gene’s first-ever creative vision is put to the ultimate test.
