The anime destination nabs North American rights to the new film based on Tsuchika Nishimura’s popular manga series; will compete at upcoming Animation Is Film festival in L.A. October 21 with wide release expected in 2024.
Crunchyroll has acquired the North American rights for the new anime film The Concierge, an adaptation of Tsuchika Nishimura’s manga series “The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store.” The movie tells the story of Akino, a trainee concierge who works at a very special store – the customers are all animals, and the most valued among them are extinct species.
The Concierge made its world premiere last June at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and its North American Premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival. It will screen in competition at the Animation Is Film Festival in Los Angeles October 21 - tickets are now on sale here. It is set for release by Aniplex in Japan October 20 and slated to roll out in Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures territories in 2024.
This marks director Yoshimi Itazu’s (Welcome to the Ballroom) first feature film – with PRODUCTION I.G (Ghost in the Shell, PSYCHO-PASS, Haikyuu!) producing. The leading voice cast includes Natsumi Kawaida as Akino, Takeo Otsuka as Elulu, and Kenjiro Tsuda as Woolly.
In the movie, Akino is a trainee concierge at the Hokkyoku Department Store, an unusual department store that caters exclusively to animals. Under the watchful eyes of the floor manager and senior concierges, Akino runs around fulfilling customers’ wishes, which include a myriad of needs and problems, in her pursuit to become a full-fledged concierge.
Check out the trailer:
Source: Crunchyroll
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
