Busan Film Festival unveils 13-film Japanese animation showcase spanning classics and new features

The Busan International Film Festival is turning its spotlight towards Japanese animation with a 13-film programme that refuses to treat the medium as a single genre. The Japanese Animation Special: Masterpieces of Madness, Exhilarating Prospects 12+1 will bring landmark films, cult favourites and new work to South Korea this October.

It is a festival showcase rather than a new streaming slate, but the selection offers a useful snapshot of where Japanese animation has been and where it may be heading.

What's actually going on

BIFF’s official announcement lists The White Snake Enchantress, Belladonna of Sadness, Phoenix 2772, Angel’s Egg, Memories, Metropolis, MIND GAME, Kakurenbo, ghost – end of night, Shiranui, We Are Aliens, A New Dawn and The King and the Mockingbird.

The programme mixes historical landmarks with four newer works. ghost – end of night arrives ahead of its planned Japanese theatrical release in 2027, while Shiranui, We Are Aliens and A New Dawn represent different approaches from newer filmmakers.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival runs from 6 to 15 October 2026 in and around the Busan Cinema Center. The organisers also say directors including Rintaro and four of the newer filmmakers will attend.

Why you should care

The classics make the programme immediately attractive: Angel’s Egg, Memories, Metropolis and MIND GAME are not simply historical footnotes, but films whose visual and thematic ideas still turn up in contemporary animation.

The new-film selections matter for a different reason. Festival programming can reveal work before it reaches a wider release, giving audiences an early look at directors and projects that may define the next wave of Japanese animation.

There is a practical caveat for readers outside Korea. BIFF screening details do not confirm a wider theatrical run, streaming deal or English-language release for every title. The festival is the confirmed destination; anything beyond it needs separate confirmation.

Our opinion

This is exactly the sort of animation programme festivals should be brave enough to build: not a greatest-hits parade, but a conversation between influential classics and films still trying to establish their voice.

The chance to see Angel’s Egg, Belladonna of Sadness and MIND GAME alongside new work is the real draw. Recommendation: if you are anywhere near Busan in October, this belongs high on the schedule; everyone else should watch for later festival and distribution announcements.