GKIDS has released a new English-subtitled trailer for cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood, the poignant anime film based on Machiko Kyō's 2010 manga. The footage offers a glimpse into the harrowing narrative of two students, San and Mayu, whose lives at an all-girls school are irrevocably altered when war reaches their island home.
The film, which originally debuted on Japanese television in 2025, follows the pair as they are forced into the war effort, tasked with caring for the wounded while watching their friends disappear one by one. The project is directed by Yukimitsu Ina, known for his work on Tatami Time Machine Blues, and features a score by acclaimed composer kensuke ushio, whose credits include A Silent Voice and Chainsaw Man.
North American audiences can catch the film in theaters starting September 4, with GKIDS confirming both subtitled and dubbed versions will be available. The release follows a successful festival run, including a North American premiere at JAPAN CUTS and a screening at the Fantasia International Film Festival.
This adaptation arrives as a significant piece of historical storytelling, arriving 80 years after the end of World War II. It marks another notable project for animation producer Hitomi Tateno, a veteran of Studio Ghibli, who oversaw the production at Studio Sasayuri.
