Our exclusive reveal of this sneak peek from Napping Princess shows off the fantasy action on display as a pirate takes on a massive monstrosity. Out of context, it's next to impossible to know just what's going on here, but the visual style and kinetic energy of this introductory clip is just the right tease to make me want to know more about this film. The animation is great, the characters pop off the screen, and the intriguing mystery behind what exactly connects two very different worlds makes Napping Princess one to keep an eye on.

Also known as Ancien and the Magic Tablet and Hirune-hime: Shiranai watashi no monogatari, this new anime feature from writer-director Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) follows student Kokone Morikawa (Mitsuki Takahata) as she drifts between her real-world complications and the escapist fantasy world of her daydreams. But when her father is kidnapped, she finds that the secret to saving him might just exist in her dream-world after all.

Check out our exclusive clip from Napping Princess below, courtesy of GKIDS, who will release the film in select theaters starting September 8th:

 

Here's the official synopsis for Napping Princess:

The year is 2020, three days before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics. While she should be studying for her exams, Kokone Morikawa is often dozing off, stuck between reality and a dream-world full of fantastic motorized contraptions. But after her father, a talented but mysterious mechanic, is kidnapped for stealing technology from a powerful corporation, it’s up to Kokone and her childhood friend Morio to save him. Together they realize that Kokone’s dream-world holds the answers to the mystery behind the stolen tech, and they embark on a journey that traverses dreams and reality, city and country, and past and present. Their mission uncovers a trail of clues to her father’s disappearance, and ultimately a surprising revelation about Kokone’s family.

 

From visionary director Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Eden of the East) comes a sci-fi fantasy that effortlessly weaves together the rapidly evolving technology of today’s world with the fantastic imagination of the next generation. With an ambitious mix of multilayered action, whimsical characters and inventive machines, Napping Princess is a genre- and universe-blending film that shows that following your dreams is sometimes the best way to discover your past.

You can also get more Napping Princess with the film's trailer, images, and poster, seen below:

GKIDS proudly presents the latest film from visionary director Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), coming to select US cinemas this September. NAPPING PRINCESS is a thrilling sci-fi fantasy set it the near future, which follows the journey of a young girl, Kokone, and her friend Morio, as they set out to find Kokone’s missing father who has been accused of a crime. Kokone soon realizes she must tap into a world only accessible through her dreams in order to solve the mystery.

 

Find a theater near you at www.nappingprincess.com

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Image via GKIDS
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Image via GKIDS
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Image via GKIDS
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Image via GKIDS
napping-princess-clip-trailer-images-poster
Image via GKIDS
napping-princess-clip-trailer-images-poster
Image via GKIDS
napping-princess-clip-trailer-images-poster
Image via GKIDS
napping-princess-clip-trailer-images-poster
Image via GKIDS
napping-princess-clip-trailer-images-poster
Image via GKIDS
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Image via GKIDS