Sumikko Gurashi's fifth movie puts Neko in the lead for the franchise's 15th anniversary in 2027
San-X's corner-dwelling characters return to Japanese cinemas in 2027, and the anniversary kicks off with a four-day revival of the 2021 picture The Little Wizard in the Blue Moonlight from October 31.
Neko, the anxious cat among San-X's corner-loving characters, is getting top billing. A new Sumikko Gurashi picture, number five for the big screen, opens in Japanese cinemas in 2027, the year the group turns 15, with Neko as its lead. Creator Yuri Yokomizo drew a commemorative illustration to mark it; plot and opening day are still under wraps.
A revival to start the celebrations
The festivities begin by looking back. Sumikko Gurashi: The Little Wizard in the Blue Moonlight, the second picture from 2021, is back on 82 screens nationwide for four days, Oct. 31 to Nov. 3. Every showing closes with bonus footage produced for the event once the end roll finishes, and each ticket holder goes home with a postcard carrying fresh artwork.
Four pictures so far
San-X introduced the characters in 2012: Shirokuma the polar bear, a penguin that isn't sure it's a penguin, Tonkatsu the pork cutlet, the timid Neko and Tokage, a small dinosaur. Fanworks has animated every entry. The 2019 original took in 1.45 billion yen and was named animation of the year at the Japanese Movie Critics Awards. Takahiro Omori's The Little Wizard in the Blue Moonlight passed 1 billion yen at the box office. The Patched-Up Factory in the Woods followed in 2023, and The Sky Kingdom and the Two Children reached theaters in October 2025. Altogether, the big-screen outings have sold more than 3 million admissions.
