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Jinsei

Play trailer 1:41 Poster for Jinsei Jun 2026 1h 33m Drama Anime Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 30 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Our hero (voiced by rapper ACE COOL), called by a different name in each chapter of his life, becomes a J-pop idol, an outcast, a leader, and an oracle in this hundred-year chronicle spanning the past, present, and future. Through a chance encounter with a transfer student, he trains to become an idol, starting his search for self-identity and a journey toward greatness beyond superstardom. Written, directed, edited and entirely hand-drawn by newcomer Ryuya Suzuki over eighteen months, JINSEI (meaning "life" in Japanese) is an anime tour-de-force that announces Suzuki to the world as a bold new talent in independent animation.
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Jinsei

Critics Reviews

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Jessica Kiang Variety Jun 15
It is the opposite of a prestige Hollywood blockbuster primed to manufacture astonishment on an industrial level. But if this is the Summer of Awe, the visionary “Jinsei” belongs right there alongside them. Go to Full Review
James Scott Austin Chronicle Jun 11
3/5
I see so much potential in Suzuki’s skill as an image-creator, and his process with Jinsei where he created the scenes over an 18-month crunch makes for an exciting behind-the-scenes story. Go to Full Review
Christian Zilko IndieWire Jun 10
B+
Anyone lamenting that it’s getting harder to make truly personal films should jump at the chance to watch something that so clearly emerged from the mind of one passionate artist. Go to Full Review
Joe Creely In Review Online 6d
A project with ambition and commitment that you can’t fault, but which feels too palpably like the work of a first-time feature director, one not short on grand formal ideas but also not yet one who can stitch the threads satisfyingly together. Go to Full Review
Joe Friar Fort Worth Report Jun 17
3.5/4
Ryuya Suzuki ventures down a dark path, using shades of gray in his hand-drawn, Scorsese-like fable about a J-pop idol turned oracle, which culminates in a cosmic conclusion that is both stunning and, in an abstract way, beautiful. Go to Full Review
Peter Keough Arts Fuse Jun 16
Though challenging and even frustrating in its obliqueness and sketchy storytelling (a second viewing may be required), Jinsei is a rewarding excursion into the cinematic and philosophical depths. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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MS Jun 17 Great editing. Also, intentions of the shots and details were amazing. See more jesse v Jun 17 there is an interesting story here but it desperately needs a faster live action or anime adaptation. the music was great but oddly bizarre to have a budget less than 100 meters. the movie didn't need the last 35 minutes. See more A L R Jun 14 Good and WEIRD. Just how I like my Japanese content. See more Michael S. @Mikhail13 Jun 17 I can appreciate the ambitious endeavor, but I got lost fairly early with the homogeneous looking characters and 10 pounds crammed into a 5 pound bag. The author uses lots of shorthand. See more Scott J. @NC_Dinos Jun 15 The biggest surprise of 2026 so far, Jinsei is a wild ride of innovative animation and trauma. From the opening montage, you are hit with trauma jumpscares and dark surprises. I give it a 9/10 and recommend seeing it in the theaters to support the team and genre in general. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 5 Success in 1 hour and 33 minutes. Original and loving it. See more Read all reviews
Jinsei

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Movie Info

Synopsis Our hero (voiced by rapper ACE COOL), called by a different name in each chapter of his life, becomes a J-pop idol, an outcast, a leader, and an oracle in this hundred-year chronicle spanning the past, present, and future. Through a chance encounter with a transfer student, he trains to become an idol, starting his search for self-identity and a journey toward greatness beyond superstardom. Written, directed, edited and entirely hand-drawn by newcomer Ryuya Suzuki over eighteen months, JINSEI (meaning "life" in Japanese) is an anime tour-de-force that announces Suzuki to the world as a bold new talent in independent animation.
Director
Ryuya Suzuki
Producer
Kenji Iwaisawa
Distributor
Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co
Rock'n Roll Mountain
Genre
Drama, Anime, Sci-Fi
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 5, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 17, 2026
Runtime
1h 33m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)