Joseph Luster
June 30, 2021 
Director Mamoru Hosoda is breaking more new ground with his next feature film, BELLE. In addition to opening in standard theaters in Japan on July 16, Hosoda’s latest will mark the director’s first journey to the even bigger screen of IMAX.
The latest trailer from earlier this month:
The full IMAX poster:
Following the Japanese release, GKIDS will be bringing BELLE to theaters in the United States sometime this winter. Here’s how the distributor sums up the story:
Suzu, a 17-year-old schoolgirl, lives with her father in a village surrounded by nature in Kochi prefecture after her mother died in an accident when she was a little girl. Suzu used to love singing with her mother more than anything else, but after her death, she has not been able to sing.
Writing songs is the only thing that gives Suzu any comfort until one day she is invited by her best friend to enter a virtual community in the Internet called U with over 5 billion members worldwide. In U, she can live another life as an AS, which is what avatars are called there. Although Suzu can’t sing in real life, singing comes natural to her in U as an AS known as Belle. Belle quickly captures the attention of U’s citizens with her songs and becomes a worldwide superstar diva.
The day of Belle’s huge concert viewed by millions of AS around the world— A mysterious presence known as the Dragon suddenly bursts into the concert hall. Her concert is ruined by the violent, arrogant Dragon. Belle, who wants to know why the Dragon suffers so much pain, approaches him. Dragon, on the other hand, slowly opens his heart to Belle’s gentle singing voice.
Soon, the search for the Dragon’s identity (unveiling) starts around the world.
A group of AS who claim to be the protectors of justice start their relentless pursuit of the Dragon who they believe disrupts order in U. The Dragon becomes the target of trolling and abuse both in U and the real world. The more people persecute him in both worlds, the more Belle feels stronger to find him and heal his heart.
Will Suzu’s voice from a remote corner in the real world reach this single, unknown individual in a world of billions? A miracle occurs when the two worlds merge into one.
Another reality. Another you. You’re not alone anymore.
Via Comic Natalie
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