Each Rascal Does Not Dream film
brings a little closer to the conclusion of Sakuta's story, and this time the
approach is significant. The main trailer for Rascal Does Not Dream of
a Dear Friend arrived with the theatrical release confirmed for October
16, 2026, and is accompanied by the first look at Toko Kirishima's theme
song "Turn the World Upside Down". The film bears the same
title as the fifteenth and final volume of the original light novel, which
already says quite a bit about the place it occupies in the overall narrative of
the franchise.
The trailer features emotional moments and
interactions between the characters while previewing the new theme song,
complementing the work of the franchise's regular composer, Fox Capture
Plan, who returns for this installment. The trailer positions the film as a
chapter that moves the story into its final stretch, with the entire cast of
the series returning to their roles.
The Production Team
Directing returns to Soichi Masui at CloverWorks,
with Masahiro Yokotani again in charge of the script and Satomi
Tamura continuing as character designer. Fox capture plan continues
to compose the music, and the distribution is on behalf of Aniplex.
About Rascal Does Not Dream
Rascal Does Not Dream is a franchise based on Hajime
Kamohida's light novel series that exceeds three million
copies in circulation. The first anime adaptation arrived in October 2018,
followed by the film Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl in
June 2019. Two additional films were released in 2023, and the college arc
adaptation, Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus, arrived in July
2025. Dear Friend takes the name of the fifteenth and final
volume of the novel, which places it as the installment that most directly
points towards the closure of a story that has been building its conclusion for
years.
