The upcoming anime film We Are Aliens is heading back to the Heisei era, and its newest trailer is doing something far more emotional than simply teasing the plot. Instead of revealing the story’s biggest mysteries, the latest preview looks back at the childhood world where everything began for its two protagonists, Tsubasa and Gyotaro.
Released by NOTHING NEW on August 27, the “Heisei Era Trailer” (平成版予告) offers a nostalgic trip through rural Japan, familiar childhood objects and the quiet everyday moments shared by two boys before an irreversible event permanently changes their relationship. With the Japanese-French animated feature arriving in Japanese cinemas on September 25, 2026, the film is already drawing international attention following major appearances at Cannes and Annecy.
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We Are Aliens Heisei Era Trailer Brings Tsubasa and Gyotaro’s Childhood Back to Life
The new We Are Aliens trailer is built around the atmosphere of Japan’s Heisei period, which lasted from 1989 to 2019. Rather than functioning like a conventional plot-heavy anime preview, it focuses on the small details that defined childhood for its protagonists.
Korasho alarm clocks, feature phones known as garakei, school supplies, umbrellas and other familiar childhood objects appear throughout the footage. Japanese promotional material specifically highlights how these everyday items can bring back memories of growing up during the Heisei era.
The trailer also captures rural landscapes, school life and the quiet routines surrounding Tsubasa and Gyotaro. It feels less like a straightforward preview and more like stepping into a memory.
That nostalgic approach matters because We Are Aliens is ultimately a story about memories that continue shaping people’s lives decades after they were created.
The official synopsis introduces Tsubasa as someone struggling with being seen as ordinary, while Gyotaro is viewed by others as someone special. Their lives unfold in a rural Japanese town during the Heisei era, but subtle disruptions eventually enter their everyday world. Then comes the irreversible incident that changes their relationship forever.
The new trailer deliberately spends much of its time before those darker developments take over.
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The Anime Film Follows Two Friends Across 30 Years
At its core, We Are Aliens follows a childhood friendship whose consequences stretch across roughly three decades.
Tsubasa is ordinary and somewhat reserved, while Gyotaro stands apart as someone others consider special. Their childhood meeting creates a powerful bond, but jealousy, misunderstanding and an irreversible incident eventually drive them apart.
The story then explores what happens after that separation and how their childhood experiences continue to follow them into adulthood.
The official synopsis asks:
“Is this a story of youth? Or a memory that should never be revisited?”
That question gives the warm Heisei-era imagery a much darker edge. The familiar phones, school equipment and household objects are not simply nostalgic decoration. They are part of the world Tsubasa and Gyotaro remember.
The international synopsis adds another layer to the mystery:
“Hey — what if I told you I was an alien?”
Despite its title, We Are Aliens is not presented as a conventional alien invasion or extraterrestrial adventure. Its official descriptions instead focus on friendship, betrayal, memory and the emotional distance that can grow between people who were once incredibly close.
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We Are Aliens Cast, Director and Theme Song Details
The film marks the feature directorial debut of Kohei Kadowaki, who takes on several major creative responsibilities. He serves as director and screenwriter while also handling the storyboard and editing, alongside additional planning and visual-production roles.
Before making his first feature, Kadowaki worked on animation and music videos, including YOASOBI’s “Comet.” That background is reflected in the film’s emphasis on movement, atmosphere and carefully constructed imagery.
The main Japanese voice cast includes:
| Role | Voice Actor |
| Tsubasa | Ryota Bando |
| Gyotaro | Amane Okayama |
| Young Tsubasa | Yuto Makki |
| Young Gyotaro | Yuku Nakagome |
| Konatsu | Ten Yamasaki |
| Batahara | Kemuri Matsui |
The supporting cast also includes Gaku Sano, Reika Ozeki, Arisa Sasaki and Edo Harumi.
Meanwhile, Yaffle provides the film’s score, while adieu, the musical project of singer and actress Moka Kamishiraishi, performs the theme song “Sasakure.”
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A Japanese-French Anime Film Already Making Waves at Cannes and Annecy
We Are Aliens is a Japanese-French co-production between NOTHING NEW and French animation company MIYU Productions. NOTHING NEW handles planning and production in Japan, while MIYU Productions serves as the French co-production partner.
The film has Japanese dialogue and a listed runtime of 117 minutes, although some Japanese theatrical listings give its runtime as 118 minutes.
Its international journey has already been impressive.
The film made its world premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected as a feature competing for the Caméra d’Or. Cannes’ official schedule listed screenings at the Théâtre Croisette.
It was later selected for the Feature Films Competition at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, further positioning it as an internationally recognised animated feature before its Japanese theatrical release.
International sales are handled by Charades, while Dulac Distribution is handling French distribution. In Japan, TOHO NEXT and NOTHING NEW are listed as theatrical distributors.
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Why the New We Are Aliens Trailer Feels Different
The most interesting thing about the Heisei Era Trailer is what it chooses not to reveal.
Earlier promotional material established that Tsubasa and Gyotaro’s friendship will eventually be shattered by an irreversible event. This new footage instead lingers on the time before everything changes.
Children follow their routines. Familiar objects fill their surroundings. Rural Japan becomes the backdrop to an ordinary childhood that clearly will not remain ordinary forever.
The official premise describes subtle distortions entering the boys’ everyday lives, but the new trailer lets viewers sit with the friendship before its collapse. That makes its nostalgia feel increasingly uneasy.
We Are Aliens will premiere theatrically in Japan on September 25, 2026. With its Cannes and Annecy selections, distinctive animation approach and emotionally heavy story spanning decades, the film is shaping up as one of the more unusual original anime releases arriving this fall.
And the new Heisei Era Trailer makes one thing clear: before the mystery, before the separation and before the memories become painful, there were simply two boys sharing a childhood they may never be able to escape.
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Disclaimer: This story has been compiled following thorough research from the verified sources provided, including official information from NOTHING NEW, the Japanese Film Database, Quinzaine des Cinéastes, MIYU Productions, Charades, UNIJAPAN, Cinema Today and Crunchyroll News. All release dates, cast details, production information, festival selections and story descriptions are based on the available source material.
Sources
- NOTHING NEW — Official We Are Aliens film page
We Are Aliens official site - NOTHING NEW — Official We Are Aliens film page
- Crunchyroll News — We Are Aliens Anime Film Shares Heisei Era Trailer (Aug 27, 2026)
- Animation Magazine — Cannes & Annecy-Selected Feature We Are Aliens Gets New Trailer
Featured Image Credit: Nothing New
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