'The Boy And The Beast', 'Napping Princess' Coming to UK Cinemas This Summer

The number of Japanese animated features showing in cinemas in the UK has shot up recently and will continue to keep up the pace over the next few months. The first title is a bit of a surprise as Studio Canal have finally announced cinema screenings of Mamoru Hosoda's The Boy And The Beast for this July. The film received it's UK debut at the London Film Festival way back in late 2015, before apparently dropping off the radar, The original cinema screenings were quietly shelved and it looked like it would be going straight to DVD and Blu-ray, but then that release didn't materialise either. It's now been revealed that the film will be getting screenings at select Picture House Cinemas on July 10. Better late than never!




August will see Anime Limited and National Amusements bring Napping Princess to UK screens. Written and directed Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex by Kenji Kamiyama, the movie is described as a "genre-bending" story of family.

The official synopsis describes the story:

Could dreams and reality be more connected than we thought? Kokone (Mitsuki Takahata) is a young girl who should be studying for exams but can’t stay awake. Her father, a hipster mechanic too talented for his post. Venturing into the realms of her tired fantasies, the young girl discovers a world aflutter with magic and warring robots, but could these visions be more than mere illusion - the key to family secrets once locked away? And once unearthed, will they bring Kokone closer to her family, or drive them further apart?

The film will open nationwide on August 16th, with additionals screenings on the 18th. As usual, though, there may be additional screenings if the film proves to be a hit.