Mamoru Hosoda's works are the subject of a major retrospective exhibition and a new immersive live adaptation of 'Belle' set five years after the film, both running in Tokyo through late 2026. A McDonald's Japan summer campaign also features scenes from three of his films.
The 'Mamoru Hosoda: Origins/Exhibition' opened June 20 at CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO, timed to the 20th anniversary of 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.' The show displays about 450 storyboards from that film, plus materials from 'Summer Wars' and 'Wolf Children,' and includes a student film from Hosoda's junior high school days, screened for the first time in 44 years. The attached 'OZ cafe' serves original dishes inspired by 'Summer Wars,' 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,' and 'Wolf Children,' running through August 31, 2026.
Meanwhile, the immersive music live 'Animersive Live: Belle - PROJECT LAYRA -' extends the 2021 film's story five years later, following producer Hiro-chan as he works to produce a new songstress in the virtual world U. The event runs from October 10 to November 15, 2026, at MoN Takanawa in Tokyo. It casts five vocalists, miwa, Konomi Suzuki, Natsumi Kon, ASCA, and Maria Miki, as the new diva LAYRA, who debuts under Sony Music's Echoes label. Hololive VTuber AZKi joins as a guest artist.
Before the exhibition and live show, McDonald's Japan previewed summer commercials using scenes from 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,' 'Summer Wars,' and 'Wolf Children,' airing from June 30. The campaign is the second consecutive year the chain has paired anime with its summer Big Mac push, this time drawing on Hosoda's filmography.
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fact links the story it came from.
Aug 21
Hololive-affiliated VTuber AZKi will appear in the immersive music live show "Animersive Live 'Belle - PROJECT LAYRA -'," based on Mamoru Hosoda's 2021 film "Belle." The announcement came on August 21, 2026, through the show's official "HIROchan" X account, which first posted a silhouette hinting at a guest artist as the "Diva of the VTuber world" shortly after 3:00 p.m. that day, then confirmed AZKi's involvement at 7:00 p.m. AZKi also released a comment expressing excitement about performing on the show's main stage. The live event is scheduled to run from October 10 to November 15, 2026, at MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives Box1000 in Tokyo. The show is a spin-off story set five years after the film, following the character Hiro-chan as she produces a new songstress in the virtual world U, which in the film gathered 5 billion users. Organizers are MoN Takanawa and the Animersive Live "Belle" Production Committee, with cooperation from Studio Chizu.
Aug 11
The immersive music live 'Belle' has revealed its protagonist LAYRA, a new virtual artist debuting under Sony Music's Echoes label. Five vocalists, miwa, Konomi Suzuki, Natsumi Kon, ASCA, and Maria Miki, will play the role. Rira Ikuta and Tomoyo Kurosawa join the cast, and the opening song is previewed.
Aug 5
A website opened on Tuesday to announce Animmersive Live: Ryu to Sobakasu no Hime, an immersive musical show based on Mamoru Hosoda's BELLE film. The show runs from October 20 to November 15 at MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives in Tokyo. It is a spinoff story set five years after the original film.
Aug 5
The immersive music live event "Animersive Live: Belle" is holding an audition for a single VTuber to appear as an avatar and voice in the production. The event is set in the world of director Mamoru Hosoda's 2021 animated film "Belle," five years after its story, and follows Hiro-chan, the producer of the diva Bell, as he works to produce a new songstress in the virtual world <U>. The audition, announced on the official X account under Hiro-chan's name, seeks one applicant who owns a 3D model and can grant permission for its use in planning, promotional materials, and production. The model must be loadable in Unity and have VRM or VRChat-compliant facial blendshapes. The application deadline is August 8 at 23:59. The event itself runs from October 10 to November 15, 2026, at MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives Box1000 in Tokyo, organized by MoN Takanawa and the Animersive Live "Belle" Production Committee, with cooperation from Studio Chizu. "Belle" marks its fifth anniversary in 2026, and this live is part of that commemoration.
Jun 27
McDonald's Japan previewed new commercials for its annual summer Big Mac campaign, using scenes from Mamoru Hosoda's The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, and Wolf Children. Figure skaters Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara and Sakurazaka46 member Hikaru Morita appear in live-action segments. The ads revive the 1980s Coca-Cola jingle "I feel Coke" and begin airing June 30.
Jun 19
The Hosoda Mamoru: Origins/Exhibition opens June 20 at CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO, marking 20 years since The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. The show displays about 450 storyboards from that film, plus materials from Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and Hosoda's early work, including a student film screened for the first time in 44 years.
Jun 4
The largest-ever Mamoru Hosoda exhibition, 'Mamoru Hosoda: Origins/Exhibition,' opens June 20 at CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO. Menu details for the attached 'OZ cafe,' exclusive 'niko and...' collaboration items, and a digital stamp rally tied to Hosoda's works have been announced.
Jun 4
The menu for the 'OZ cafe' themed cafe attached to the 'Mamoru Hosoda: The Origin/Exhibition' in Tokyo Kyobashi has been revealed. The cafe offers original dishes and drinks inspired by 'Summer Wars', 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time', and 'Wolf Children', running from June 20 to August 31, 2026.