GKIDS put out an English-subtitled trailer for cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood (*cocoon Aru Natsu no Shōjo-tachi Yori*), ahead of a North American theatrical release on September 4, 2026. It's a wartime drama with heavyweight anime craft behind it.
Watch the English-subtitled trailer:
What it's about
Set on a tropical southern island, the film follows best friends San and Mayu at the island's top all-girls school. War reaches their country, the students are pulled into the war effort — rear-line care of the wounded — and the friends begin losing companions as the conflict intensifies. It adapts Machiko Kyō's Cocoon manga (2010), a work rooted in the Battle of Okinawa.
Who made it
Yukimitsu Ina directs at studio Sasayuri, with music by kensuke ushio (*Chainsaw Man*, A Silent Voice) and animation production by Studio Ghibli veteran Hitomi Tateno. Hikari Mitsushima voices Mayu and Marika Itō voices San.
Worth watching for
Between ushio's score and a Ghibli-trained animation producer, this sits closer to the prestige end of anime film than a seasonal release. It's a limited theatrical run, so the September 4 date matters if you want it on the big screen. If you track anime films branching into live-action and awards territory, see our Look Back live-action guide, and the wider best anime of 2026, ranked board.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When does cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood release?
A: GKIDS gives it a North American theatrical release on September 4, 2026.
Q: What is cocoon based on?
A: Machiko Kyō's Cocoon manga from 2010, set against the Battle of Okinawa.
Q: Who directed it?
A: Yukimitsu Ina at studio Sasayuri, with music by kensuke ushio.