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CloverWorks

CloverWorks is producing a slate of theatrical and television projects across 2026 and into 2027, including the original omnibus film Grotesqqque, a new Evangelion series, and an adaptation of The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All. The studio is also running its own merchandise events and, with A-1 Pictures, operates the joint training studio FLINT BASE.

Synthesized from 16 Yomimono stories · updated 3d ago

CloverWorks enters late 2026 with a theatrical project at the center of its slate. Grotesqqque, an original omnibus film directed, written, and character-designed by Atsushi Nishigori, opens in Japan on November 6 after a world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. The film consists of three stories, and its 14-person cast draws from voice acting, acting, and music, including four members of Nogizaka46 and musician Gen Hoshino. The production is the first project from JOEN, the partnership formed by CloverWorks, WIT Studio, Shueisha, and Aniplex. Thirty-five musical acts contribute to the film, with METALVERSE performing the opening theme.

The studio also has television work ahead. CloverWorks produces The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All, which premieres in January 2027, and it co-produces a new Neon Genesis Evangelion series with Studio Khara, with NieR creator Yoko Taro as series composer and scriptwriter. CloverWorks is also handling the upcoming Pokémon theatrical film, Pokémon: Wild Card, scheduled for 2027 and centered on the trading card game.

Alongside production, the studio has built out a direct retail presence. Pop-up shops for WIND BREAKER, Black Butler, and My Dress-Up Darling merchandise ran at venues including RED° TOKYO TOWER, Laforet Harajuku, and Kinokuniya Shinjuku in 2026, with a three-city POP UP SHOP tour starting in Ebetsu, Hokkaido in January. CloverWorks also expanded its training capacity. With A-1 Pictures, it opened FLINT BASE in April 2026 as a joint animation studio, adding MAPPA and Production I.G as partner studios in August.

Key facts

Pokémon film
CloverWorks handles animation production for Pokémon: Wild Card, directed by Katsuhiko Kitada, scheduled to open in 2027. ↗
Grotesqqque release date
Grotesqqque, directed by Atsushi Nishigori, opens in Japanese theaters on November 6. ↗
Evangelion series
A new Neon Genesis Evangelion television series is co-produced with Studio Khara, with Yoko Taro as series composer and scriptwriter. ↗
The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All
The anime adaptation premieres in January 2027, produced by CloverWorks and directed by Masashi Ishihama. ↗
FLINT BASE launch
CloverWorks and A-1 Pictures opened FLINT BASE in April 2026 as a joint venture backed by the Sony Group. ↗
FLINT BASE partners
MAPPA and Production I.G joined FLINT BASE as partner studios on August 21, 2026. ↗
WIND BREAKER merchandise event
CloverWorks sold official studio merchandise at the WIND BREAKER × RED° TOKYO TOWER collaboration event from April 3 to May 6, 2026. ↗
Black Butler pop-up shop
A pop-up shop for the Black Butler anime ran from May 29 to June 10, 2026, at Laforet Harajuku. ↗
POP UP SHOP 2026 tour
The CloverWorks POP UP SHOP 2026 tour visited Ebetsu in January, Nagoya in February, and Kochi in March. ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Announced
POP UP SHOP 2026 tour in three cities · 2026-05-31
Announced
pop-up shop for Black Butler - Boarding School Arc and Black Butler - Green Witch Arc · 2026-05-25

Connections

Produces
pokemon wild card, flint base, grotesqqque, the guy she was interested in wasn t a guy at all, my dress up darling, wind breaker, evangelion, grotesque

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/cloverworks. CC BY 4.0.

Claim activity

When a claim about CloverWorks was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.

  • Confirmed CloverWorks produces The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All 6d ago · source
  • Confirmed CloverWorks produces Grotesqqque Jun 18 · source
  • Confirmed CloverWorks produces Grotesque Jun 4 · source
  • Confirmed CloverWorks produces WIND BREAKER May 31 · source
  • Confirmed POP UP SHOP 2026 tour in three cities May 31 · source
  • Confirmed pop-up shop for Black Butler - Boarding School Arc and Black Butler - Green Witch Arc May 28 · source

All coverage

Sep 1

Pokémon: Wild Card Anime Film Announced for 2027

The Pokémon Company announced on August 31 a new anime film titled Pokémon: Wild Card, scheduled to open in 2027. The announcement came during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco. CloverWorks is handling animation production, with Katsuhiko Kitada directing. Akemi Hayashi is designing the characters, and Story Inc. is producing the film. The story follows a Pokémon Trading Card Game player and his partner Mimikyu, as the player strives to become a champion. The film is the 24th anime film in the franchise and the first since Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, which opened in Japan in December 2020. The teaser trailer shows the protagonist wearing a yellow hoodie reminiscent of Mimikyu, with the Pokémon appearing alongside. The Pokémon Company describes the film as capturing the competitive spirit of Pokémon Trainers worldwide. The release is described as beginning in 2027, with no specific date or distribution details announced yet.

Aug 21

FLINT BASE Adds MAPPA and Production I.G as Partners, Opens Second Cohort Recruiting

FLINT BASE, the animation studio established by CloverWorks and A-1 Pictures, is strengthening its management structure and preparing to recruit a second cohort of trainees. On August 21, 2026, CloverWorks and A-1 Pictures announced that MAPPA and Production I.G will join as partner studios. CloverWorks will continue to handle day-to-day operations, and the cooperative arrangement with A-1 Pictures will remain in place. The expanded partner network is intended to reinforce the studio's training system and support the development of animators. In terms of hiring, FLINT BASE plans to begin recruiting new graduates for its second cohort, who will join in April 2027, starting in September 2026. Application guidelines and other details are expected to be posted sequentially on the FLINT BASE official website. The announcement was published simultaneously on the A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks official news pages, both dated August 21, 2026.

Aug 20

Grotesqqque Film Trailer Previews A(E)liens Segment

Aniplex began streaming a trailer for the A(E)liens story segment of Atsushi Nishigori's original omnibus anime film Grotesqqque. The film opens in Japan on November 6. It premiered at this year's Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. The omnibus comprises three stories with different worldviews, and the trailer spotlights the first segment.

Jul 27

CloverWorks' Omnibus Anime Film Grotesqqque Casts Akio Ōtsuka

CloverWorks and director Atsushi Nishigori announced on July 27 that Akio Ōtsuka has joined the cast of the original omnibus anime film Grotesqqque. Ōtsuka will voice the Space Agency Bureau Director in the film's first story, "A(E)liens." The film is set to open in Japan on November 6, 2026, and will have its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, running from July 16 to August 2. Grotesqqque consists of three distinct stories: "A(E)liens," "Yoroshiku★Girl," and "Nocturne: Nuit Grotesque." The staff also revealed the extensive list of 35 musical acts contributing to the film, with the band METALVERSE performing the opening theme "Shoot Shoot Shoot" and Haoto performing the ending theme. Nishigori, known for directing The IDOLM@STER and DARLING in the FRANXX, is directing, writing the screenplay, and designing the characters. The film is produced by CloverWorks and comes from JOEN, a company jointly established by Aniplex, CloverWorks, Wit Studio, and Shueisha.

Jul 5

CloverWorks' Grotesqqque Film Sets November 6 Release, Reveals Trailer

CloverWorks announced during its Anime Expo panel on July 4 that the original anime film Grotesqqque, directed by Atsushi Nishigori, will open in Japanese theaters on November 6. The film is an omnibus of three stories with distinct worldviews: "Aeliens," "4649 Girl" (pronounced "Yoroshiku Shojo"), and "Nocturne: Kono Grotesque na Yoru ni." Nishigori directs, writes the screenplay, and designs the characters. The opening theme is "Shoot Shoot Shoot" by the band METALVERSE. A trailer and key visual were released. The cast includes Kana Ichinose, Gen Hoshino, Chika Anzai, Maaya Uchida, Rumi Okubo, Rie Kugimiya, Miyu Tomita, Ikumi Hasegawa, Saori Hayami, Sara Minami, and four members of Nogizaka46: Nagi Inoue, Aruno Nakanishi, Miku Ichinose, and Nao Tomisato. The film is produced by CloverWorks and comes from JOEN, the company jointly established by Aniplex, CloverWorks, Wit Studio, and Shueisha. The film will make its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, running from July 16 to August 2.

Jul 4

The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All Anime Debuts in January 2027

The anime adaptation of Sumiko Arai's manga The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All will premiere in January 2027, as revealed in a teaser trailer unveiled at Anime Expo 2026. CloverWorks is producing the series, with Masashi Ishihama directing. The cast includes Akari Kitō as Aya Ōsawa and Mariya Ise as Mitsuki Koga. Rino Yamazaki handles series composition, and Kanna Hirayama is the character designer. The opening theme song is the 1991 Nirvana track "Breed." Crunchyroll will stream the anime. The manga follows high schooler Aya, who develops a crush on a cool CD shop employee, unaware that the employee is actually her quiet female classmate Mitsuki. Arai began the manga on Twitter in April 2022 before moving to pixiv Comic in April 2023. Kadokawa Shoten publishes the print volumes, with the fourth volume released on February 19. The series ranked second on the 2024 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook for top manga for female readers and second on the 23rd Da Vinci "Book of the Year" list.

Jun 17

35 Artists Join Music for Atsushi Nishigori's Animated Film GROTESQQQUE

The original animated film GROTESQQQUE, directed by Atsushi Nishigori and produced by CloverWorks, has announced that 35 artists will contribute music to the project. The lineup includes ASCA, Reol, Otoha-otoha-, Iori Noguchi (=LOVE), TAKU INOUE, Junna, and 29 others, spanning singer-songwriters, Vocaloid producers, idols, bands, and composers. The film is scheduled for release in 2026 and consists of three distinct stories: Ellians, about an alien girl and a civil servant searching for friends; Yoroshiku Shojo, a battle royale among girls called Gyaru P; and Nocturne ~Kono Grotesque na Yoru ni~, following a pure-blood vampire and three infected survivors traveling through a devastated world. The cast includes Tomoka Anzai, Kana Ichinose, Miku Ichinose (Nogizaka46), Nao Inoue (Nogizaka46), Maaya Uchida, Rumi Okubo, Rie Kugimiya, Nao Tomita, Aruno Nakanishi (Nogizaka46), Ikumi Hasegawa, Saori Hayami, Gen Hoshino, and Sara Minami. Details on how the 35 artists will participate will be announced from July onward.

Jun 10

CloverWorks' Grotesqqque Film Reveals 14 Cast Members

CloverWorks revealed the cast and characters for its original omnibus anime film Grotesqqque on Saturday. The 14-person cast includes Kana Ichinose, Maaya Uchida, Rie Kugimiya, and four members of Nogizaka46. The film, directed by Atsushi Nishigori, will open in 2026 and comprises three stories with different worldviews.

May 31

CloverWorks Official Goods to Release at WIND BREAKER × RED° TOKYO TOWER Event

CloverWorks announced on March 19, 2026, that it will sell official studio merchandise at the TV anime WIND BREAKER × RED° TOKYO TOWER collaboration event. The lineup includes items featuring cover illustrations of the after-recording script, created by director Toshifumi Akai and character designer/chief animation director Taishi Kawakami. Products include script-style notebooks and can badges, among other items that use artwork from the production studio. The event runs from April 3 to May 6, 2026, at RED° TOKYO TOWER on the 5th floor. A purchase bonus offers a random postcard from eight designs for every 2,200 yen spent on new WIND BREAKER merchandise during the period. After-event online sales are planned, with details to be announced later.

May 31

CloverWorks POP UP SHOP 2026 Tour Announced for Three Cities

CloverWorks announced a regional tour of its POP UP SHOP 2026 event, starting January 16 in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, followed by Nagoya in February and Kochi in March. The pop-up shops will sell merchandise for series including My Dress-Up Darling, Wind Breaker, Bocchi the Rock!, Spy × Family, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and others. Limited quantities of past release goods and books will also be available. Each venue will display reproduction artwork and production materials, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the studio's animation process. The tour begins at Ebetsu Tsutaya Books (January 16 to February 4), moves to TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Noritake in Nagoya (February 13 to March 2), and ends at Kochi Tsutaya Books (March 27 to April 13). Stock and exhibits may vary by location. The announcement was made on January 9, 2026.

May 30

New Evangelion Series Announced With NieR Creator Yoko Taro Writing

A new Neon Genesis Evangelion television series is in development, with NieR creator Yoko Taro attached as series composer and scriptwriter. Studio Khara announced the project during the final program of the Evangelion:30+ 30th Anniversary of Evangelion event over the weekend. The series will be co-produced with CloverWorks, known for Spy x Family. Story details, release timing, and cast have not been revealed. Kazuya Tsurumaki, a longtime Evangelion collaborator and director of FLCL, will direct alongside Toko Yatabe, who has worked extensively within the franchise. Keiichi Okabe, another key NieR creative voice, will compose the music. Original Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno is not listed among the lead creative credits. The announcement positions the project as the franchise's first completely new TV installment in years, fueled by the creative team's well-regarded profiles for atmosphere and story crafting.

May 30

CloverWorks and A-1 Pictures Open New Animation Studio FLINT BASE in April 2026

CloverWorks and A-1 Pictures announced on November 4, 2025, that they will open a new animation studio called FLINT BASE in April 2026. The studio is a joint venture between the two Aniplex subsidiaries, backed by the Sony Group. FLINT BASE is described as a new challenge in animation production, focused on drawing and animator work. The companies stated that the studio aims to serve as an entry point for students aspiring to become animators. They noted that even with ongoing digital innovation, animation still requires the work of many animators. Both CloverWorks and A-1 Pictures will maintain their existing in-house animation teams and training systems, which will continue as the core of each studio. FLINT BASE will operate as a separate entity. The announcement was accompanied by the launch of a recruitment drive for new graduates in 2026, specifically for the role of animator at FLINT BASE. Applications are open until November 28, 2025. The official FLINT BASE website provides further details.

May 30

Atsushi Nishigori and CloverWorks' Grotesqqque Anime Film Reveals 14 Cast Members

The original anime film project "Grotesqqque" by director Atsushi Nishigori and studio CloverWorks announced its cast on May 30, 2026. The 14-member lineup includes voice actors, actors, idols, and musical artists: Chika Anzai, Kana Ichinose, Miku Ichinose (Nogizaka46), Nagi Inoue (Nogizaka46), Maaya Uchida, Rumi Okubo, Rie Kugimiya, Nao Tomisato (Nogizaka46), Miyu Tomita, Aruno Nakanishi (Nogizaka46), Ikumi Hasegawa, Saori Hayami, Gen Hoshino, and Sara Minami. Specific character assignments were not disclosed. The film is scheduled for a 2026 theatrical release and consists of three parts with distinct worldviews: "ÆLIENS," "4649GIRL," and "NOCTURN: EN CETTE NUIT GROTESQUE." Nishigori handles direction, screenplay, and original character designs. CloverWorks produces the film, which is the first project from JOEN, a creative partnership formed in 2022 by CloverWorks, WIT Studio, Shueisha, and Aniplex. Distribution is handled by ANIMEC.

May 29

WIND BREAKER Pop-Up Shop Opens at Kinokuniya Shinjuku in June

CloverWorks announced a pop-up shop for the TV anime WIND BREAKER at Kinokuniya Shinjuku Main Store from June 3 to June 16, 2026. The venue will sell existing goods, display reproduction original drawings, and offer a random sticker bonus for purchases of 2,200 yen or more.

May 25

Black Butler Pop-Up Shop Opens at Laforet Harajuku in Late May

CloverWorks announced a pop-up shop for the TV anime Black Butler - Boarding School Arc and Black Butler - Green Witch Arc, running from May 29 to June 10, 2026, at SHED By_ACG on the 5th floor of Laforet Harajuku. The shop will sell existing goods and display original artwork. Purchase bonuses include random illustration cards and a one-day-only mini shikishi on June 5.