The highly anticipated anime film, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: A lonely dragon wants to be loved, which premiered in Japan on June 27, 2025, has revealed its non-credit opening, additional cast members, and a new key visual. Crunchyroll has secured the worldwide theatrical distribution rights for the film, excluding Asia, and plans to release it in North America with Japanese audio and English subtitles.
Key Revelations
The film’s official website recently unveiled the non-credit opening, showcasing the vibrant animation accompanying the theme song. The opening theme, “Namida no Parade” (“Parade of Tears”), is performed by the Japanese music group fhána, who have also contributed to previous seasons of the anime series.
New and Returning Voices
The movie introduces new voice talent to the beloved franchise. Fumihiko Tachiki joins the cast as Kimun Kamui, while Nobunaga Shimazaki takes on the role of Azad. It was previously announced that Shiori Sugiura has replaced Tomomi Mineuchi as the voice of Ilulu.
The film also sees the return of the familiar main cast, including:
- Mutsumi Tamura as Miss Kobayashi
- Yuuki Kuwahara as Tohru
- Maria Naganawa as Kanna
- Yūki Takada as Elma
- Minami Takahashi as Lucoa
- Daisuke Ono as Fafnir
- Yūichi Nakamura as Makoto Takiya
- Emiri Katō as Riko Saikawa
- Kaori Ishihara as Shōta Magatsuchi
Additionally, Shinya Takahashi and Azusa Tadokoro are confirmed to be voicing fairies in the movie.
Visuals and Production
A new key visual for the film was showcased at AnimeJapan 2025, offering a fresh glimpse into the movie’s aesthetic. Kyoto Animation, the studio behind the highly acclaimed television series, is producing the film. Tatsuya Ishihara, who directed Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S, returns as the film’s director, with Yuka Yamada providing the script and Miku Kadowaki handling character designs and serving as chief animation director. The late Yasuhiro Takemoto is credited posthumously as the series director.
Plot Overview
The film’s narrative picks up after the events of the second season of the TV anime, delving into a significant emotional story for Kanna. Her peaceful life with Miss Kobayashi, Tohru, and Iruru is disrupted by the arrival of her father, Kamun Kamui, the leader of the Chaos Forces. Kamun forces Kanna to return to the Dragon World to rectify a past mistake, leading to a brewing conflict between the Chaos and Harmony factions. Kanna finds herself torn between her loyalty to her friends in the human world and her father’s demands. Miss Kobayashi, however, refuses to let Kanna go and endeavors to mend the fractured relationship between Kanna and Kamui. As the dragons clash, Iruru uncovers a hidden force manipulating the war, raising the stakes for all involved. The film explores whether they can halt the war before it engulfs both worlds.
