During
the Anime Expo 2025, the Dotou studio revealed
important details of its first animated feature film, KILLTUBE. The
announcement included a new behind-the-scenes video, a promotional
image, and the introduction of the main cast.
Protagonists and team behind the project
Actress Yui
Tsukada will make her starring role as Musashi, a
rebellious young woman. He is joined by Kengo Kawanishi as Kikuchiyo,
a con artist, and Ayane Sakura as Leonardo, an
eccentric inventor.
The project
is directed and planned by Kazuaki Kuribayashi at STUDIO
DOTOU, with a screenplay by Saeri Natsuo, Ryō
Takemura and Takenori Tokuyama. The visual design seeks to
recreate the style of shin-hanga (Japanese engravings from the
Shōwa period), through high-quality 3D CG.
A
dystopian story with survival fights
KILLTUBE is set in an alternate
Japan in 2026, still ruled by the Edo shogunate. In a world divided by
strict social hierarchies, three outcasts find themselves in one cell. United
by the desire for freedom, they launch themselves into the dueling
platform KILLTUBE, where they fight for fame, fortune... and survival.
This trio
will pit samurai and merchants against each other in a society where violence
is entertainment, and combat is the only way to ascend. But the higher they
go, the closer they get to the dark truth that KILLTUBE hides.
An
unprecedented project in the industry
The
production is being handled by CHOCOLATE Inc., known for its work
on Demon Slayer exhibitions and the Dark Gathering anime.
With a budget of 1 billion yen (about $6.6 million), the team
collaborates with VFX studio KASSEN and art collective WACHAJACK.
KILLTUBE is part of CHOCOLATE Inc.'s
"108 Experiments" initiative, an effort to
revolutionize the production, dissemination and monetization of
original content.
The
premiere is scheduled for spring 2026 and will have a worldwide
release.
Outstanding technical staff
- Address: Kazuaki
Kuribayashi
- Script: Saeri
Natsuo, Ryō Takemura, Takenori Tokuyama
- Character
Design: Nike Shimaguchi
- Sound
Direction: Fumiyuki Goh
- Music: Matsuza Katakumi and
Takao Ogi
- Concept Art: Fujihiko Sawai and Shūsei
Sasaya
- Art
direction: Takuya Sekikawa
- CG supervision: Yūki Mizoguchi, Satoshi
Takeno, Daisuke Kaneko
With a
unique aesthetic, a provocative story, and an innovative technical
approach, KILLTUBE promises to be one of the most impactful
anime films of the coming years.
