“Scarlet” (Japanese: “Hateshinaki Scarlet”), the latest film by Mamoru Hosoda, opened in Japan to empty cinemas and to strong criticism. We summarize.
Bad start in Japan
Mamoru Hosoda, the director of globally successful works such as “Mirai: The Girl from the Future”, “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” and “Ame & Yuki: The Wolf Children”, returned to Japanese cinemas on November 21, 2025 with his latest film “Scarlet” – although not particularly successful.
In its second weekend, the film is no longer in the top 10 of the Japanese cinema charts – a low point in Hosoda’s illustrious career, which was already apparent after the predominantly muted reactions to the premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2025.
However, the reviews from Japanese cinemagoers are even more damning, describing the film as “boring” and “bad” on social networks. A frequent point of criticism is the rather unspectacular visual design.
Whether “Scarlet” can hold its own on the international stage will become clear at the beginning of next year at the latest, when Sony Pictures brings the evening filler to cinemas internationally. In Germany, the start date has now been brought forward from March 5, 2026 to February 24, 2026 after a postponement.
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Trailer:
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© Yuuichirou Saitou, Studio Chizu, Mamoru Hosoda / Scarlet Production Committee
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