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Wasted Chef Film Reveals Teaser Visual at Cannes

The teaser visual and presentation confirm that Hirao's first original feature since "Pompo: The Cinéphile" is a cooking-themed sci-fi story, with the same production team intact and a 2027 completion target.

Reporting from 4 sources: Anime News Network, Comic Natalie, Anime Hack (anime.eiga.com), MyAnimeList.

Wasted Chef Film Reveals Teaser Visual at Cannes

The original anime film "Wasted Chef" from director Takayuki Hirao received its first teaser visual during the Annecy Animation Showcase at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, held May 15-17. The visual shows two characters making hamburgers, paired with the tagline "That day, 'you' and 'taste' disappeared from the world." Hirao and producer Ryoichiro Matsuo of studio CLAP attended the showcase to present the project. They described the film as a combination of cooking and science fiction, with the Latin word "restaurare" (to heal, restore) as a central keyword. The core creative team from Hirao's previous film "Pompo: The Cinéphile" reunites for this project: character designer Shingo Adachi, composer Kenta Matsukuma, and studio CLAP. A special trailer will screen during revival showings of "Pompo: The Cinéphile" in Japan starting May 29. More details are expected at a stage greeting event on May 31. Variety reported the film is slated for completion in 2027.

The teaser visual depicts a man and a woman cheerfully making hamburgers. The tagline reads "That day, 'you' and 'taste' disappeared from the world."

Director Hirao said at the showcase, "I hope it can heal and restore those who see it." The Latin word "restaurare," meaning "to heal, restore," is a central keyword for the film. Hirao and producer Ryoichiro Matsuo of studio CLAP attended the showcase to present the project. A 9-minute making-of video featuring footage and settings was also screened.

The film is Hirao's first original feature-length film since "Pompo: The Cinéphile." The project was announced in June 2023, and the staff revealed a new imageboard concept in June 2025. The core creative team from "Pompo: The Cinéphile" reunites: character designer Shingo Adachi, composer Kenta Matsukuma, and studio CLAP. Additional staff includes producers Yuunosuke Uno and Kousuke Arai.

Variety describes the film's story: A young chef chasing a lost flavor lands in a ruined city without taste. Saved by Kasumi, his cooking awakens forgotten memories. But a dark force threatens to erase all desire, making his quest the last hope to save both worlds.

The film was one of the featured animated works-in-progress at the Annecy Animation Showcase, part of an expanded "Cannes Animation" initiative under Cannes' Marché du Film marketplace. Japan is the 2026 Country of Honor at the Marché du Film, and Cannes Animation hosted several workshops and panels focused on Japanese animation. Another anime showcased at the event was dwarf studios' stop-motion samurai film "HIDARI."

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

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