The fourth animated film in the beloved Sumikko Gurashi franchise, officially titled Eiga Sumikko Gurashi: Sora no Ōkoku to Futari no Ko (Sumikko Gurashi The Movie: The Sky Kingdom and Two Children), is slated to open in Japan on October 31, 2025. This latest installment continues the heartwarming adventures of the popular San-X characters, known for their slightly negative yet endearing personalities who prefer to stay in corners.
New Narrative and Key Staff
The upcoming film introduces a fresh narrative set in the “Kingdom of the Sky,” a realm situated above the clouds. The story unfolds as a prince from this sky kingdom arrives in the Sumikko Gurashi town following a prolonged rainstorm, embarking the characters on a new adventure. A teaser visual has been released, showcasing the new character, a prince, seemingly falling from the sky. The tagline accompanying the teaser visual reads: “The adventure has fallen.”
Fanworks, the animation studio behind previous Sumikko Gurashi TV anime series and films, is producing the fourth movie. Naomi Iwata, known for her work on Pingu in the City and Obake Zukan, is directing the film. Takashi Sumita, who penned the scripts for the first and third Sumikko Gurashi films, returns as the scriptwriter for this installment. Additionally, Kaori Hino, also from the first and third films, is reprising her role as art director.
Returning Narrators and Franchise History
Yoshihiko Inohara and Manami Honjō, who have lent their voices as narrators in previous Sumikko Gurashi films, will return for the fourth movie, continuing their gentle and warm narration that comforts the characters. Asmik Ace, Inc. is handling the distribution of the film.
The Sumikko Gurashi characters, developed by San-X, first debuted in 2012. The franchise quickly gained popularity, leading to a successful series of animated films. The first film, Sumikko Gurashi the Movie: The Pop-up Picture Book and the Secret Child, was released in 2019. This was followed by Sumikko Gurashi the Movie: The Magical Child of a Blue Moonlit Night in 2021, and Sumikko Gurashi the Movie: The Mysterious Child of the Patchwork Factory in 2023. The cumulative audience numbers for the first three films have exceeded three million, highlighting the franchise’s enduring appeal.
