About

In this action-fantasy set in post-Fukushima Japan, mysterious hooded figures take over a university laboratory and give the local children devices which unleash their personal grotesque-cute ‘friends’, which they battle Pokémon-style and hide from the town’s adults.

When young Musashi (Takuto Sueoka) comes to town with his mother after the death of his father in a tsunami, his loneliness is assuaged by his own ‘friend’, the squishy jellyfish-like Karage-bo. While trying to avoid his bullying classmates, he is befriended by Saki (Himeka Asami), whose ‘friend’ is a giant fluffy monster called Luxor.

The directorial debut of acclaimed contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, the film combines live action with CGI animation to bring a classic tale of good vs evil – and kids saving the day – to colourful life through his unique lens.

Ages 12+ | Contains mild stylisied violence, some scenes may scare young children