Clover Works Confirms Grotesqqque Anime Film for 2026 Release

Anime Expo happened this year and CloverWorks drop something really curious. Their next movie is called Grotesqqque. Before, the name was “Grotesque,” but they decided to tweak it, maybe to make it look more unique or stylish. A short teaser also was shown, which didn’t say a lot, but gave off this odd, mysterious kind of feel. They told the movie will be in theaters in 2026.

Now here’s something worth noticing — Atsushi Nishigori is directing this one. You may know him from DARLING in the FRANXX or The IDOLM@STER, he did those. So, expectations is already up. But Grotesqqque isn’t just telling one story. It’s made of three separate parts: ÆLIENS, 4649GIRL, and Nocturn: En Cette Nuit Grotesque. They don’t fully connect, but in some way, they still feel related—maybe because of the mood or message.

That Number Girl Thing Sounds Deep but Odd Too

One of these stories — 4649GIRL — kind of stands out just by name. In Japan, if you read “4649” in number-speech, it becomes “Yoroshiku,” which means something like “Nice to meet you” or “Let’s get along.” But they didn’t stop there. When you see the full Japanese title with the kanji, it turns into something more dark and poetic — like “Evening Dew Heads to Its Death Girl.” That gives a totally different mood. It’s weird, but interesting.

All three parts of the film seem to be doing their own thing. Maybe one’s sci-fi, one’s a bit sad, and the other is just surreal or abstract. They haven’t shared much about the story yet, but people online are already guessing and making theories.

JOEN Starts Off With a Bold Project

Another big thing — Grotesqqque is the first original movie coming out from JOEN. That’s a company made in 2022 by CloverWorks, WIT Studio, Shueisha, and Aniplex. These are big names in anime world, and they teamed up for this. JOEN said they want to make anime production more smooth and better for creators. 

Also Read : Your First Look at Anime Project M: All the Details You Need

With Grotesqqque, CloverWorks and JOEN are kind of stepping into a more experimental space. The teaser didn’t reveal much, but it felt like something serious and artistic might be coming. The title is strange, the stories are unclear, and the tone is mysterious — but maybe that’s the point.

We’ll have to wait till 2026, but this could be one of those anime films that leave you thinking long after the credits roll.

Source : @grotesqqque, Comic Natalie

Written By “Sujoy Bhowmik - India Today Gaming”