‘My Oni Girl’: What You Should Know About Netflix’s New Anime Movie (2025)

Get ready for a magical journey of friendship and self-discovery with Netflix’s latest anime production, My Oni Girl. As the title suggests, the youth fantasy film is centered on an oni [demon] girl who forges a unique bond with an adolescent boy, and they both embark on an adventure that becomes transformative for them. The all-new anime film hails from Studio Ghibli alum Tomokata Shibayama. This animation artist previously directed A Whisker Away, and is produced by the highly acclaimed Studio Colorido, the same studio behind Shibayama's debut film.

The fantasy anime film comes as the second of a three-film deal between Netflix and Studio Colorido, where they previously produced Hiroyasu Ishida's Drifting Home in 2022. As the recently released poster and trailer of the film reveal, the all-new fantasy story boasts stunning visual arts, very similar to what we saw in A Whisker Away, weaved into a heartwarming story of nostalgia, friendship, self-expression, and folk mythology. It’s also worth noting that there is a common, underlying element among all of Studio Colorido’s projects, which can be summarized as stories of unexpressed emotions, and of friendships lost and found. For instance, Drifting Home is about two childhood friends who grow apart but eventually rediscover their friendship under unexpected circumstances. And so is the case in A Whisker Away, where the protagonist, yearning for love and friendship, undergoes a complete transformation to get close to her love interest. Here's everything you should know about My Oni Girl.

When Did 'My Oni Girl' Release?

My Oni Girl landed on Netflix on May 24, 2024. The film was also released in theaters across Japan on the same day. The anime film shares its release with two other new titles, joining the streamer – the Jennifer Lopez sci-fi film Atlas and the Camp Cretaceous sequel, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory. My Oni Girl did receive a limited theatrical lease in Japan.

Is There a Trailer for 'My Oni Girl'?

Released in April 2024, the official trailer of My Oni Girl reveals the enchanting world where summer meets winter and snow begins to fall on a sparkling, sunny morning. The clip opens with Tsumugi coming across Hiiragi, where she asks him for his help on her quest to find her mother in the human world. Hiiragi readily agrees because he yearns for friendship and never says no to anyone, fearing that he may be disliked and left alone. But as he sets out with Tsumugi on her journey, he learns more about himself and his hidden emotions, while also developing a beautiful relationship with his new-found friend from another realm. Hiiragi also learns from his new demon friend about the mystery of the oni, where people who hide their true emotions are absorbed by the mythical demon oni, eventually turning the humans into oni.

From the trailer, it’s evident that although this is a story of friendship and self-discovery, it is also profound in its concept, with layered characters and plot twists that also hold a deep message about suppressed emotions. The trailer clip also showcases Shibayama’s unique vision of combining childhood nostalgia into a mythical premise through the brilliant artwork and stunning visuals, something we have experienced in his directorial debut, A Whisker Away. Another aspect that stands out in the trailer of My Oni Girl is the befitting theme song, “Truth in Lies”, performed by the mysterious rock band, Zutomayo.

What Is 'My Oni Girl' About?

Netflix’s official plot for My Oni Girl reads,

Yearning to get along with others and not be disliked, first-year high school student Hiiragi finds himself unable to say no whenever someone requests something of him. One summer day, while unsuccessfully carrying out yet another request, he encounters an oni girl named Tsumugi, who has come to the human world to search for her mother. She does whatever she pleases and is the complete opposite of Hiiragi. Studio Colorido presents this fantasy tale of youth that unfolds over one wintery summer.

Who Stars in 'My Oni Girl'?

My Oni Girl features a packed ensemble of Japanese voice actors, with Kensho Ono as the introvert and awkward Hiiragi Yatsuse and Miyu Tomita as the polar opposite and extrovert, Tsumugi. Japanese actor, singer, and voice artist Ono is known for working in live-action and anime films, video games, and radio shows. My Oni Girl marks the actor’s second Netflix project after A Whisker Away, where he voiced Masamichi Isami. He has also voiced the critically acclaimed coming-of-age anime A Silent Voice. Tomita is also a recognized voice artist who is most noted for her roles in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, Ayakashi Triangle, and Made in Abyss film series, as well as popular games like Genshin Impact.

The rest of the supporting cast features voice actors who have previously worked in globally popular anime films and television series, and include, Shintarō Asanuma (Onmyoji) as Ryūji Takahashi; Aya Yamane (My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising) as Mio Takahashi; Tomoko Shiota (Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai) as Shimako Yamashita; Shirō Saitō (Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F') as Naoya Yamashita; Miou Tanaka (Godzilla Minus One) as Mikio Yatsuse; Satsuki Yukino (A Silent Voice) as Mikuri Yatsuse; Shōzō Sasaki (Detective Conan) as Yōichi Tanimoto; Noriko Hidaka (My Neighbor Totoro) as Shion as; Satoshi Mikami (Golden Kamuy Season 4) as Izuru; Hisako Kyōda (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind) as Gozen, and Mitsuho Kambe (Delicious in Dungeon) as Kaede Yatsuse.

Who Is Making 'My Oni Girl'?

My Oni Girl is directed by Tomokata Shibayama for Netflix. The animation artist-turned-filmmaker marked his directorial debut in 2020 with A Whisker Away, which he co-directed with award-winning anime director Junichi Sato. The Netflix original anime film was also a Studio Colorido production and earned widespread acclaim for its charming story and incredible art style. Prior to directing, Shibayama was most known for his animation work and was involved in Ghibli’s award-winning and iconic production Spirited Away. So, you can expect an equally enchanting and visually stimulating film with the all-new anime as well.

The screenplay for My Oni Girl is penned by Yuko Kakihara, a screenwriter best known for The Apothecary Diaries and the Chihayafuru TV anime series. The character design is led by Masafumi Yokota, who did key animation for the opening sequence of The Apothecary Diaries, and key animation for the films Weathering with You and Ghibli’s The Wind Rises. The youth fantasy film is produced by the highly acclaimed animation banner Studio Colorido (in collaboration with Twin Engine) which gave us anime films like Penguin Highway and Drifting Home and was also behind A Whisker Away. The studio also produced the Disney+ animated anthology Star Wars: Visions.

Mina Kubota who also worked on A Whisker Away is composing the score for My Oni Girl, while the film's theme song "Truth in Lies”, as well as "Blues in the Closet", are both performed by the secretive Japanese rock band, Zutomayo.