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Pixar
Pixar is currently promoting Toy Story 5 in Japan, where the film opened on July 3, 2026, to a record-breaking box office, and has announced its next feature Nero of the Water City for spring 2027, while director Louis Clichy's debut feature Iron Boy has won multiple festival awards.
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Yomimono stories · updated
2d ago
Pixar's activities in Japan center on the theatrical release of Toy Story 5, which opened July 3, 2026, with a record-breaking opening weekend. The film earned approximately $160 million in the US and its worldwide box office surpassed $585 million, exceeding the totals of the first two Toy Story films. The Japanese release was supported by a wide promotional campaign including 11 screening formats, themed cafes in four cities, and a special evening parade at Tokyo Disneyland featuring the Japanese voice cast.
The Japanese dub cast includes Sano Yuto, a member of the vocal dance unit M!LK, as the new high-tech toy Smarty Pants. Sano passed an audition at Pixar's US headquarters and re-recorded about 80-90% of his lines. Two other M!LK members, Taishi Shiozaki and Yuito Yoshida, made unannounced cameo voice appearances. The film's marketing also extended to limited-edition VAIO laptops with laser-engraved Toy Story 5 designs.
Looking ahead, Pixar announced Nero of the Water City, a new animated feature directed by Enrico Casarosa, set in Venice and centered on a black cat. The film blends hand-drawn painting with 3DCG and is Pixar's first cat-led feature; it is set for a spring 2027 Japan release. Separately, Louis Clichy's debut feature Iron Boy, which Pixar presumably produced or distributed, won the Jury Prize, Audience Award, and Gan Foundation Distribution Award at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2026, following a Special Jury Prize at Cannes.
Key facts
- Toy Story 5 Japan release date
- July 3, 2026 ↗
- Toy Story 5 US opening weekend box office
- approximately $160 million ↗
- Toy Story 5 worldwide box office
- surpassed $585 million ↗
- Sano Yuto voiced Smarty Pants in Japanese dub
- Sano Yuto, a member of M!LK, voiced Smarty Pants after passing an audition at Pixar's US headquarters ↗
- Toy Story 5 screening formats
- 11 versions including IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX ↗
- Nero of the Water City director and protagonist
- Directed by Enrico Casarosa; features a black cat named Nero; Pixar's first cat-led feature ↗
- Nero of the Water City Japan release window
- Spring 2027 ↗
- Iron Boy wins at Annecy 2026
- Won Jury Prize, Audience Award, and Gan Foundation Distribution Award ↗
- Iron Boy previous Cannes award
- Special Jury Prize at Cannes ↗
Timeline
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
All coverage
2d ago
VAIO has begun accepting orders for limited-edition Toy Story 5 laser-engraved laptops, released to coincide with the Japan premiere of the film. The special models are available on the VAIO F16 and VAIO F14 notebooks, sold through the VAIO Store. The laptops feature two laser-engraved top cover designs: "Buzz Lightyear and Alien," showing Buzz carrying an alien and aliens in a crane game; and "Best Friends," which includes Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Bullseye. Buyers can choose from three body colors: navy blue, satin gold, and satin silver. The engraving is done by skilled technicians at VAIO's factory in Azumino, Nagano Prefecture. Each laptop ships with three original wallpapers and special Disney-logo packaging. The earliest delivery date is July 18, 2026. A campaign running until August 5, 2026 offers a 10,000 yen discount on the base price, and an additional 5,000 yen off for models with Intel Core 5 or Core 7 processors. The minimum price for the F16 is 181,500 yen, and for the F14 is 176,000 yen. Early buyers receive a free alien mascot called 'Hyotto' while supplies last.
Jul 3
Sano Yuto, who voices Smarty Pants in the Japanese dub of Toy Story 5, made a surprise appearance at Tokyo Disneyland on July 3. He rode in an omnibus with fellow cast members Karasawa Toshiaki and Tokoro George, greeting fans during a special evening parade celebrating the film's release.
Jul 3
Toy Story 5 opened in Japan on July 3, 2026, following a record-breaking US debut that earned approximately $160 million in its opening weekend. The film's worldwide box office has surpassed $585 million, exceeding the final totals of Toy Story and Toy Story 2. The Japanese dub cast includes Alice Hirose as the new character Lily Pad, with comments from the actress and details on theater bonuses.
Jul 3
M!LK members Taishi Shiozaki and Yuito Yoshida made unannounced cameo voice appearances in the Japanese dub of Toy Story 5, now in theaters. Fellow member Yuto Sano, who voices Smarty Pants, hinted that Shiozaki's role may be easy to miss on first viewing. The specific characters they play have not been disclosed.
Jul 2
Sano Yuto, a member of the vocal dance unit M!LK, has been cast as the Japanese voice of the new high-tech toy Smarty Pants in Toy Story 5. He passed an audition at Pixar's US headquarters and re-recorded about 80-90% of his lines after the initial dubbing session, working with the director to refine the performance.
Jun 28
Louis Clichy's debut feature 'Iron Boy' won the Jury Prize, Audience Award, and Gan Foundation Distribution Award at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2026. The film, which previously won a Special Jury Prize at Cannes, is set for a 2027 Japanese release. It follows a ten-year-old boy forced to wear an iron corset.
Jun 20
Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5 will screen in 11 versions including IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX. A themed Toy Story Theater event runs July 3-20 at eight Japanese theaters, featuring character seat decorations and a greeting video from the Japanese voice cast. The film opens July 3.
Jun 12
Disney and Pixar announced Nero of the Water City, a new animated feature set in Venice, Italy, about a black cat named Nero. The film is directed by Enrico Casarosa, who directed Luca, and blends hand-drawn painting with 3DCG. It is the studio's first animated feature with a cat protagonist. A teaser poster and trailer were released alongside the announcement.
Jun 7
A limited-time Toy Story 5 OH MY CAFE will open July 3, 2026, at five locations in Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, and Miyagi. The cafe offers character-themed food, desserts, and drinks, plus exclusive merchandise and reservation bonuses. All menu items follow Disney nutritional guidelines.