On the
official site for the anime adaptation of the book " Poupelle of
Chimney Town ( Entotsu Machi no Poupelle )",
details about the upcoming sequel to the project were announced. Again, this
sequel titled " Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Promised Clock Tower "
will be produced by STUDIO 4°C and is scheduled to
premiere sometime in Spring 2026 in theaters in Japan.
The
statement also included a variety of comments from the production:
- Commentary by Akihiro Nishino
(Executive Producer and Screenwriter): It's been a while since the
release of the previous installment, but during all this time, we've
continued preparing everything behind the scenes. I'm overjoyed to finally
announce the release of this sequel. In the short time remaining until its
release, I want to honestly confront the "why this story must be told
in this era" and "why its expression must be through film,"
and dedicate myself completely to this work, as if I were betting my life
on it. At the heart of this story is an experience I had in my twenties:
"the days when I simply waited for a friend who had gone far away and
would never return." I wrote this story while digging up those
memories. I would be very happy if you could see it in a theater with
someone important to you.
- Eiko Tanaka (STUDIO 4℃) commentary: The previous installment was
set in a single location called “Chimney Town,” so we were able to handle
that somewhat, but this time we entered a world of pure imagination, where
two different worlds intersect. It was difficult enough to beautifully
depict the “Chimney Town” shrouded in thick smoke, but now there are a
host of new characters from this alternate world, plus dance scenes,
fights, and songs… By the time I realized this was going to be crazy, it
was too late. Everyone on the staff was caught up in the charm of this
work, trying to make it even more entertaining, completely bewitched by
Nishino’s magic. I thought there would never be a sequel to “Poupelle of
Chimney Town” because I couldn’t imagine it without Poupelle, but the
depth of Nishino’s heart, as he thought of his friends, shocked me deeply.
Learning that this new story is also based on Nishino's personal
experience moved me deeply. I sincerely hope everyone can enjoy this
imaginative world created by Nishino, the fruit of the team's tireless
efforts.
And of
course, don't miss the details of the franchise below:
- The new film will be based on
the illustrated book "Tick-Tock Yakusoku no Tokeidai" by Akihiro
Nishino, published in 2019. As with the first installment, Nishino
will oversee production and write the script, while Yusuke Hirota will
return as director, with STUDIO 4℃ producing.
- At an Anime NYC panel in 2023,
Nishino explained that the sequel will be very different from the first
film. This time, the story will center on a city with a clock tower stuck
at 11:59, where a conflict rages between those who want to protect the
clock and those who want to fix it. While the first film's theme
was "let's go, let's do it," this sequel's theme will be the
opposite: "wait patiently."
- During the Animation is Film
festival in October 2021, Nishino and director Yusuke Hirota
mentioned that there are plans for more films within the Poupelle
franchise , suggesting that the universe will continue to expand
in the future.
- "Poupelle of Chimney
Town" opened in Japan in December 2020, reaching number 4 in its
opening weekend and grossing approximately $3.13 million. The film was directed by
Hirota, with character designs by Atsuko Fukushima, and Nishino served as
the original creator, production supervisor, and screenwriter.
