The anime film Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend is set to open in Japanese theaters on October 16, 2026, adapting the 15th and final volume of the light novel series.
The anime film Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend is the next installment in the franchise, adapting the 15th and final main volume of Hajime Kamoshida's light novel series. The film is scheduled to premiere in Japanese theaters on October 16, 2026. Soichi Masui returns as director at CloverWorks, with Masahiro Yokotani handling the script and series composition, Satomi Tamura designing the characters, and fox capture plan composing the music. Aniplex is distributing the film.
The returning voice cast includes Kaito Ishikawa as Sakuta Azusagawa, Asami Seto as Mai Sakurajima, and Sora Amamiya as Uzuki Hirokawa, among others. New memorial visuals and promotional videos have focused on the characters Ikumi Akagi, voiced by Aya Yamane, and Sara Himeji, voiced by Konomi Kohara, confirming their central roles in the film. The main trailer, released on June 15, 2026, previewed the theme song "Turn the World Upside Down" performed by Tōko Kirishima.
The film follows the television series Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus, which aired from July to September 2025. Yen Press has licensed the light novels and manga adaptation for English release. Crunchyroll streams the previous anime series and films. A second short story collection for the light novel series is set for release in Japan on October 9, 2026, a week before the film opens.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
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fact links the story it came from.
Jun 15
The official website for the anime film Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend began streaming the main trailer on Monday, June 15. The trailer previews the theme song "Turn the World Upside Down" performed by Tōko Kirishima. The film is set to open in Japanese theaters on October 16. It is the latest installment in the Rascal Does Not Dream franchise, adapting the 15th and final volume of Hajime Kamoshida's light novel series. The film is teased as moving the story toward its conclusion. Soichi Masui returns to direct at CloverWorks, with Masahiro Yokotani handling the script and Satomi Tamura designing the characters. The band fox capture plan also returns to compose the music. Aniplex is distributing the film. The returning voice cast includes Kaito Ishikawa as Sakuta Azusagawa, Asami Seto as Mai Sakurajima, and many others. The film follows the television series Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus, which aired from July to September 2025.
May 25
The upcoming anime film Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend has received a new memorial visual and promotional video focusing on the character Ikumi Akagi, voiced by Aya Yamane. The film is scheduled to premiere in Japanese theaters on October 16, 2026. Soichi Masui returns as director, with Masahiro Yokotani handling series composition, Satomi Tamura as character designer, and fox capture plan composing the music. CloverWorks is producing the animation. The film adapts the 15th and final main volume of Hajime Kamoshida and Keji Mizoguchi's light novel series, which Yen Press describes as Sakuta's final confrontation with Adolescence Syndrome. The cast includes Kaito Ishikawa as Sakuta Azusagawa, Asami Seto as Mai Sakurajima, and Sora Amamiya as Uzuki Hirokawa, among others. The announcement coincided with a TV rebroadcast of the series. A second short story collection for the light novel is set for release in Japan on October 9, 2026, a week before the film opens.
May 18
The upcoming theatrical anime film Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend has released a new memorial visual and promotional video focusing on Sara Himeji, voiced by Konomi Kohara. The film is scheduled to premiere in Japan on October 16, 2026. Soichi Masui returns as director, with Masahiro Yokotani as story composer, Satomi Tamura as character designer, and fox capture plan composing the music. CloverWorks is handling animation production. The voice cast includes Kaito Ishikawa as Sakuta Azusagawa, Asami Seto as Mai Sakurajima, and others. The film is the latest entry in the Rascal Does Not Dream anime series, adapting the 15th and final main volume of Hajime Kamoshida's light novel series. Yen Press has licensed the light novels and manga adaptation for English release. Crunchyroll streams the previous anime series and films. A second short story collection for the light novel series will be released in Japan on October 9, 2026.