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Celebrated Japanese animation director Masaaki Yuasa has unveiled the debut project from his newly established animation studio, ame pippin. Titled “Daisy’s Life,” the feature is a Japanese-French co-production based on Banana Yoshimoto’s novel Hinagiku no Jinsei, with original illustrations by renowned artist Yoshitomo Nara. The film is set for delivery in 2026.
Yuasa is best known for his surreal storytelling and bold visual style in films such as “Mind Game,” “Lu Over the Wall,” and the Golden Globe-nominated “Inu-Oh.” He launched ame pippin in February 2025 with the goal of pushing artistic boundaries in the animation world. Backed by heavyweights Asmik Ace, Inc., Aniplex Inc. and CoMix Wave Films, the Tokyo-based studio aims to be a major force in the ever-evolving global animation landscape.
“Daisy’s Life” follows the emotional journey of a six-year-old girl named Daisy, who loses her mother in a tragic accident and struggles to adapt to life with her aunt. One sleepless night, she encounters a mysterious girl named Dahlia at her window. Their days together begin to transcend time and space, bringing a cosmic perspective to Daisy’s modest life in a downtown yakisoba restaurant.
Of his new project, Yuasa explained, “Even among the works of Ms. Banana Yoshimoto, this is a novel that evokes visual images throughout, and while there are parts that are vividly scary, the final passage is very happy, like something I had dreamed of in the past. I would like to depict the life of the protagonist who works for a yakisoba restaurant in a downtown area with a 100-meter radius on a cosmic scale.”
Yuasa is teaming up with acclaimed screenwriter Sachiko Tanaka, whose previous work includes “Before We Vanish” and “Asako I & II,” in her first foray into animation. Yoshitomo Nara will lend his distinct artistic style to the childhood character designs, adding a touch of emotional realism to the film’s dreamlike tone.
Production is being spearheaded by Asmik Ace, Inc., a company with a storied history in both live-action and animated cinema, known for titles like “Tekkonkinkreet” and “Paranoia Agent.” The film is co-produced with France’s Miyu Productions, which recently won awards at Cannes and Annecy for Flóra Anna Buda’s short “27” and Sébastien Laudenbach and Chiara Malta’s feature “Chicken for Linda!”
Miyu producers Emmanuel-Alain Raynal and Pierre Baussaron expressed excitement about their renewed collaboration with Asmik Ace and the opportunity to work with Yuasa, saying, “After a first fruitful collaboration with Asmik Ace on Yoshitoshi Shinomiya’s ‘A New Dawn’ we are delighted and honored to renew our partnership on the next project by Masaaki Yuasa, one of the greatest animation filmmakers of our time”
Yuasa’s resume more than supports such praise. Since his groundbreaking debut with “Mind Game” in 2004, he has consistently pushed the artistic potential of animation. His previous studio Science Saru, which he co-founded in 2013, produced hits such as “Devilman Crybaby,” “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!” and Netflix’s “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.” Now with ame pippin, Yuasa embarks on a new creative chapter, one that blends deeply personal storytelling with experimental visual ambition.
As anime continues its global rise across streaming and theatrical platforms, “Daisy’s Life” marks not just a new film from one of Japan’s greatest living anime directors, but a bold mission statement for the future of auteur-driven animation from the country.
