Anime Supremacy! (film)

Anime Supremacy! (ハケンアニメ！) is a 2022 Japanese drama film based on a novel with a same name written by Mizuki Tsujimura and illustrated by manga artist group CLAMP. The film is directed by Kōhei Yoshino, written by Yōsuke Masaike, distributed by Toei Company, and stars Riho Yoshioka, Tomoya Nakamura, Tasuku Emoto and Machiko Ono. The film was released in Japan in May 28, 2022.

Premise
Hitomi Saito, who has jumped into the world of the anime industry, makes her directorial debut and competes for the title of "Haken" (supremacy) with the star director of her dreams, Chiharu Ōji. Chiharu, who previously produced many mega-hit films, is returning to the director's chair for the first time in eight years. Hitomi struggles to win the title together with the peculiar producer and her unique colleagues.

Cast

 * Riho Yoshioka as Hitomi Saito
 * Tomoya Nakamura as Chiharu Ōji
 * Tasuku Emoto as Satoru Yukishiro
 * Machiko Ono as Kayoko Arishina
 * Kanji Furutachi as Koshigaya
 * Seiji Rokkaku as Seki
 * Marika Kouno as Aoi Shino
 * Asuka Kudō as Shuhei Monemori
 * Tomoya Maeno as Negishi
 * Karin Ono as Kazuna Namisawa
 * Yu Tokui as Maeyamada

Soundback: Playing Stone

 * Yuki Kaji as Ryūji
 * Megumi Han as Takaya
 * Hina Kino as Mayu
 * Show Hayami as Kanade's stone

Fate Front: Liddle Light

 * Rie Takahashi as Juri
 * Kana Hanazawa as Kiyora
 * Yui Horie as Del
 * Yū Kobayashi as Shiori
 * Reina Kondō as Nanaka
 * Nanami Tomaru as Kei
 * Ayaka Ohashi as Yuki

Romi Park serves as a narrator for both in-story anime films.

Production
In November 2021, it was announced that a live-action film adaptation of the novel Anime Supremacy!, written by Mizuki Tsujimura and illustrated by manga artist group CLAMP, was in the works, with Kōhei Yoshino directing the film and Yōsuke Masaike as a screenwriter. The cast for the film was announced in the same month, with Riho Yoshioka, Tomoya Nakamura, Tasuku Emoto and Machiko Ono as Hitomi Saito, Chiharu Ōji, Satoru Yukishiro and Kayoko Arishina respectively. Voice actors Yuki Kaji, Megumi Han, Rie Takahashi and Kana Hanazawa were cast as characters for the respective in-story anime films. The principal photography was done at Toei Company's filming studio in Tokyo. Atsutoshi Umezawa from Toei Animation supervised the depiction of the anime industry for the entire film. Genie High will perform the film's theme song, titled "Eclair".

The two in-story anime films were created for the live-action film as films being created and produced by two characters in the film: The first film, Soundback: Playing Stone (サウンドバック 奏の石), and the second film, Fate Front: Liddell Light (運命戦線リデルライト). Soundback: Playing Stone was directed by Azuma Tani and character designed by Eisaku Kubonouchi, while Fate Front: Liddell Light was directed by Takashi Otsuka, and character designed by Takahiro Kishida. Both in-story anime films were produced by Production I.G.

Release
The film was released in Japan in May 28, 2022.

Industry reception
A special screening of the film was held on May 10, 2022 for the people in the Japanese animation industry, and made with positive responses.