Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary Anime Movie Gets First English Trailer

Netflix revealed on Thursday the first trailer for anime movie The Imaginary, coming to the streaming service on July 5. This is the first official trailer for the film with an English dub.

The Imaginary first premiered in Japan in December 2023 and is competing at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week.

The film follows a young girl named Amanda, who is coping with grief, and her imaginary best friend, Rudger. When Rudger arrives at The Town of Imaginaries, where forgotten Imaginaries go to live and find work, he faces a mysterious threat. The movie is based on English writer A. F. Harrold’s 2014 book of the same title.

This is the second feature-length anime movie by Studio Ponoc, which was set up in 2015 by former producers and animators from iconic Studio Ghibli .

The film is directed by Japanese animator Yoshiyuki Momose, known for his work on Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 classic Spirited Away, and for directing the action fantasy anime movie NiNoKuni, based on the video game.

The voiceover cast of The Imaginary includes Louie Rudge-Buchanan as Rudger, Evie Kiszel as Amanda, Hayley Atwell as Lizzie, Sky Katz as Emily, Kal Penn as Jinzan, Jane Singer as Downbeat Grandma, Jeremy Swift as Mr. Bunting, and Ruby Barnhill as Aurora.

Don’t miss The Imaginary when it hits Netflix on July 5.

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