Toei Animation's hybrid 2D-3D film Monkey Quest is in post-production with a 2027 release target, following the studio's public shift toward international production.
Toei Animation is developing its first hybrid 2D-3D feature, Monkey Quest, which was presented at the Annecy Festival. Studio SANZIGEN is handling the 3D animation. The film follows a girl and her brother who free a forgotten protector of Earth. The cast includes Adam Devine, Elsie Fisher, and J.K. Simmons. The project brings together an international crew that includes Sonic the Hedgehog designer Naoto Oshima and Shrek 2 writer David N. Weiss.
The film's development follows a broader strategic statement from Toei Animation general manager Asama Yosuke, who told Variety at Cannes that the era of anime being made only by Japanese people is over. Asama said the studio aims to create works rooted in local cultures with creators worldwide. The remark from a foundational studio executive signals a potential shift in the industry's self-definition.
Monkey Quest is in post-production and aiming for a 2027 release. No specific release date has been announced.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/monkey-quest.
CC BY 4.0.
Lionsgate is partnering with Toei Animation as its new U.S. distribution partner for anime projects, beginning with the Monkey Quest film in 2027. The company will be considered for future co-productions with Toei. The film, a 2D-3D hybrid loosely based on Journey to the West, is in post-production and aiming for a 2027 release. Charades will distribute the film worldwide outside the U.S.
Toei Animation presented its next film project, the 2D-3D hybrid animated film Monkey Quest, at the Annecy Festival. Studio SANZIGEN is handling the 3D animation. The film follows a girl and her brother who free a forgotten protector of Earth. The cast includes Adam Devine, Elsie Fisher, and J.K. Simmons. The film is in post-production and aiming for a 2027 release.
Toei Animation general manager Asama Yosuke told Variety at Cannes that the era of anime being made only by Japanese people is over, saying the studio aims to create works rooted in local cultures with creators worldwide. The remark from a foundational studio executive signals a potential shift in the industry's self-definition.