Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Clock Tower of Promise (2026) — The Award-Winning Fantasy Returns Bigger Than Ever. Time has stopped.

Time has stopped.

Promises remain.

And belief is about to move the world again.

The beloved fantasy universe that captured hearts across Japan and beyond is officially returning.

“Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Clock Tower of Promise” is set for a nationwide theatrical release in Spring 2026, marking the long-awaited sequel to the Japan Academy Award–winning animated film Poupelle of Chimney Town.

With Akihiro Nishino once again leading the project and STUDIO4℃ pushing animation to new creative heights, this sequel isn’t just a continuation — it’s a bold expansion of the Poupelle world, promising deeper emotion, grander scale, and a story rooted in faith, loss, and hope.

Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Clock Tower of Promise — Release Details

• Title: Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Clock Tower of Promise

• Japanese Title: Entotsu Machi no Poupelle: Tokeidai no Yakusoku

• Release Window: Spring 2026

• Genre: Fantasy / Adventure / Animated Feature

• Animation Studio: STUDIO4℃

• Director: Yusuke Hirota

• Executive Producer / Screenwriter / Original Story: Akihiro Nishino

This is a full theatrical sequel, not a side story or spin-off.

Why Poupelle of Chimney Town Became a Phenomenon

Released in 2020, the original Poupelle of Chimney Town achieved something extraordinary:

• 🏆 Japan Academy Award – Best Animated Feature

• 💰 2.7 billion yen at the box office

• 🎟️ 1.96 million viewers despite the pandemic

• 🌍 Invited to 30+ international film festivals

• 📚 Original book sales exceeding 780,000 copies

Since then, Poupelle has grown into a full multimedia universe — inspiring musicals, kabuki, ballet, and stage adaptations, all driven by its powerful core message: believe, even when the world tells you not to.

What Is The Clock Tower of Promise About? (Story Explained)

A World Where Time Has Stopped

The sequel is based on Akihiro Nishino’s 2019 picture book“Tick-Tock: The Clock Tower of Promise.”

The story begins with heartbreak.

After being separated from his beloved friend Poupelle, Lubicchi is consumed by grief. Belief becomes painful. Waiting feels pointless. Just as he decides to move forward and stop hoping, fate intervenes.

Lubicchi finds himself transported to the Millennium Fortress — a mysterious parallel world where time is controlled.

In this strange land:

• Clocks that no longer work are discarded

• Time itself has lost meaning

• A massive clock tower stands untouched — stopped at 11:59

The only way home is to restart the clock tower.

A Journey of Promises, Waiting, and Faith

Alongside his new partner, Moff, Lubicchi investigates the mystery of the frozen clock. His journey introduces him to:

• Gus, a man who has waited 100 years for a promise

• Nagi, a being born from a broken promise, was once a plant, now a human

Through their stories, Lubicchi confronts the question at the heart of the film:

What does it mean to keep believing when nothing comes back?

As Halloween night approaches, Lubicchi must decide whether he still has the courage to wait — and believe — one more time.

The Return of STUDIO4℃ — Bigger, Wilder, More Ambitious

STUDIO4℃ returns after delivering the breathtaking visuals of the original film — but this time, the scale is dramatically expanded.

What’s New This Time?

• Two fully realized worlds colliding

• Vast new character designs

• Musical elements, dancing, and combat

• Advanced 3D expression blended with hand-crafted artistry

Producer Eiko Tanaka describes the sequel as:

“A world of imagination where two different realities intersect… and by the time we realized how ambitious it was, it was already too late.”

In other words, they went all in.

A New Voice for Lubicchi — A New Chapter Begins

Unlike the first film, where Mana Ashida voiced Lubicchi, the sequel will introduce a newly cast Lubicchi selected through auditions.

This creative choice reflects:

• Lubicchi’s emotional growth

• The passage of time within the story

• A new phase in his journey

It’s a symbolic rebirth — not a replacement.

Akihiro Nishino on the Sequel’s Meaning

Executive producer, author, and screenwriter Akihiro Nishino revealed that the sequel is deeply personal:

“This story is based on my own experience — the days I spent simply waiting for a friend who had gone far away and would never come back.”

He adds that he has spent years asking:

• Why this story must be told now

• Why it must be told through film

• And what it means to share belief in today’s world

This isn’t just a sequel.

It’s a statement.

Why The Clock Tower of Promise Could Be Even Bigger Than Poupelle

🕰️ A Universal Theme

Waiting, loss, promises, and hope transcend age and culture.

🌍 Expanded Worldbuilding

Multiple realities, deeper lore, and emotional stakes.

🎨 STUDIO4℃ at Full Power

Pushing animation beyond conventional limits.

❤️ A Story for Families — and Adults

Like the original, it speaks to children and the grown-ups watching beside them.

Final Thoughts: Time Will Move Again

Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Clock Tower of Promise is shaping up to be one of the most emotionally ambitious animated films of 2026.

It’s a story about:

• Grief that doesn’t vanish

• Promises that refuse to die

• And the belief that survives even when time itself stops

When the clock finally moves…the miracle won’t just be on screen — it’ll be in the hearts watching.