COCOON – ONE SUMMER OF GIRLHOOD

"Cocoon: One Summer of Girlhood" emerges as one of the most intense and promising anime of 2026, a cinematic adaptation of Machiko Kyo's war manga inspired by the tragic real-life story of the Himeyuri students of Okinawa during World War II. Directed by Yukimitsu Ina in his feature film debut and animated by Studio Sasayuri, founded by a Ghibli veteran, the film follows the young students San and Mayu, whose carefree life on an island is shattered when they are forced to serve as nurses in a military hospital hidden in a cave. Distributed by GKIDS and set to hit North American theaters on September 4, the film stands out for its poetic Ghibli-style animation and bold stylistic choices, such as depicting wartime violence with flowers instead of blood, creating a heart-wrenching contrast between beauty and horror.