Toyota Releases Final 'GRIP' Anime Short Directed by Yoriaki Mochizuki
Toyota released the fourth and final episode of its anime series "GRIP, A Toyota Movie" on November 5, 2025. The ten-minute short film was written and directed by Yoriaki Mochizuki, who previously directed the 2023 animated "Harley Quinn" series and worked as a story artist on "Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse" and "The LEGO Batman Movie." The episode follows protagonist Jae in a future dominated by self-driving cars as he faces a villain using AI to take over the city. Mochizuki added a personal arc about Jae's relationship with his late father, inspired by his own memories of driving with his father and his experience raising two daughters. His ten-year-old daughter voiced young Jae. Toyota's Multicultural and Brand Marketing Director Sean Mahase said the goal was to connect human emotion with technology rather than focus solely on brand promotion. The series has generated over 300 million impressions since its first episode debuted last year, driving double-digit lifts in brand perception among Gen Z and multicultural audiences, according to Toyota. The film premiered at toyota.com/grip.