Scarlet

Scarlet, a princess bent on avenging her father’s murder, awakens in a maze-like realm called the Land of the Dead. The world spirals with chaos and surreal dangers as she roams in search of her sworn foe and the path to a place called No End Place. If she fails to complete the revenge and escape this endless cycle, a looming void will swallow her, erasing her existence. The story follows Scarlet as she confronts ghosts of the past and hostile forces, testing whether vengeance can coexist with a chance to live beyond endless pursuit.

Directed by Mamoru Hosoda, Scarlet is presented as an original animated feature. The film brings together Hosoda's signature blend of intimate character drama and high-stakes action in a sci-fi setting, with Mana Ashida voicing Scarlet and Masaki Okada portraying Hijiri. The project signals Hosoda's ongoing push for ambitious, emotionally resonant storytelling within anime cinema.

Critics have noted the film's audacious blend of genres and its emotional core. The narrative probes revenge, memory, and identity, while visual sequences push the boundaries of animation in a space opera framework. Performances by Mana Ashida anchor Scarlet's stubborn resilience amid the dangers, and the film's score and sound design intensify moments of dread and wonder, inviting viewers to stay invested through its perilous odyssey.

An anime feature driven by Hosoda's creative team with an original screenplay and a star-studded voice cast including Mana Ashida, Masaki Okada, Yutaka Matsushige, Kotaro Yoshida and Koji Yakusho. The production emphasizes dynamic action and intimate character arcs, layering political intrigue and personal loss across surreal landscapes. The animation blends crisp character animation with bold world-building and a sweeping, cinematic score.

As of its initial release, there are no major awards announced for Scarlet. Still, critics acknowledge Hosoda's willingness to blend intimate grief with speculative travel, praising Ashida's performance and the film's willingness to take visual risks. The reception points to a filmmaker who remains capable of pushing anime cinema toward more ambitious, genre-defying experiences, even if some viewers find the pacing uneven in spots.