📖✨Whoever Steals This Book (2025) — The Curse of Stories Unfolds This Winter | Cast, Plot, Release Date & Where to Watch

When Stories Refuse to Stay Silent

What happens when a story decides it doesn’t want to be read? From the pages of Nowaki Fukamidori’s award-winning novel, Whoever Steals This Book (この本を盗む者は) transforms into an extraordinary anime film this December 26, 2025, brought to life by Kagokan Studios and Kadokawa Animation.

A magical curse, a reluctant heroine, and a library that hides more than knowledge — this spellbinding fantasy adventure invites you to lose yourself in a world where books breathe, whisper, and fight back.

As the film’s tagline hauntingly declares:

“The story remembers... even when you try to forget.”

📚 The Tale of the Cursed Library

Descended from generations of book collectors, Mifuyu Mikura lives among mountains of ancient tomes. Her great-grandfather built Mikura Hall, a grand library that serves as the heart of her small town — a place where every shelf hums with secrets.

But here’s the twist — Mifuyu hates books.

Everything changes when a mysterious thief steals from Mikura Hall, awakening a curse that begins to consume the town. To stop the spreading doom, Mifuyu must dive into the stolen stories themselves — each one a world of its own, ruled by magic, memory, and danger.

Guided by the enigmatic Mashiro, a spirit who seems to know more than she says, Mifuyu’s journey turns from reluctant rescue to self-discovery. Through each story she enters, she must confront not only mythical beasts and twisted plots — but the chapters of her own heart.

🎞️ The Magic Behind the Screen

Directed by Daisei Fukuoka (Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song) and written by Yasuhiro Nakanishi (Kaguya-sama: Love Is War), Whoever Steals This Book blends emotional storytelling with breathtaking artistry.

• Studio: Kagokan

• Distributor: Kadokawa Animation

• Character Design: Keiko Kurosawa

• Music: Michiru Ōshima (Fullmetal Alchemist, Belle)

• Theme Song: “Share” by YUKI — a haunting melody that captures the bittersweet bond between stories and souls.

The main visual showcases Mifuyu and Mashiro walking through a dreamlike world of floating pages and glowing ink, while the trailer teases shimmering fantasy, danger, and warmth — the perfect storm for a December release.

🌸 Meet the Voices Behind the Magic

• Rin Kataoka as Mifuyu Mikura — a high school girl destined to face the curse she never believed in.

• Sora Tamaki as Mashiro — the mysterious companion between worlds.

• Nao Tōyama as Hirune Mikura, Mifuyu’s sleepy yet wise aunt.

• Junichi Suwabe as Ayumu Mikura, her protective father.

• Shizuka Itō as Keiko Yosano, a wandering woman with secrets.

• Shimba Tsuchiya as Takafumi Haruta, a charming bookseller and scholar.

• Romi Park as Tamaki Mikura, the grandmother who may hold the key to breaking the curse.

Both Rin Kataoka and Sora Tamaki are debuting as voice actors — a fresh and heartfelt addition that brings genuine wonder to the roles.

Rin shares,

“It felt like living inside a book I once feared to open.”

And Tamaki adds,

“Mashiro’s voice is soft, but she carries the weight of forgotten stories.”

🕯️ Themes: Between Reality and Fiction

Whoever Steals This Book is not merely about adventure — it’s about the bond between readers and stories.It explores how tales shape us, how we hide inside them, and what happens when fiction begins to bleed into reality.

The film’s world constantly shifts as Mifuyu enters different books — from fairy tales to tragedies, myths to mysteries — each story reshaping the people around her. It’s a visual love letter to literature, imagination, and the beauty of losing (and finding) yourself in a story.

“Every book we open steals a part of us,” whispers Mashiro. “But it gives something back too.”

🎬 Release & Streaming Details

• Title: Whoever Steals This Book (この本を盗む者は)

• Genre: Fantasy / Mystery / Adventure

• Studio: Kagokan

• Director: Daisei Fukuoka

• Screenplay: Yasuhiro Nakanishi

• Music: Michiru Ōshima

• Theme Song: “Share” by YUKI

• Japanese Release Date: December 26, 2025

• Distributor: Kadokawa Animation

• International Release: To be announced (expected early 2026)

✨ Why You Shouldn’t Miss It

If you loved the emotional depth of A Silent Voice or the poetic wonder of Spirited Away, this film belongs on your must-watch list. With stunning animation, haunting music, and a story that celebrates the power of reading itself, Whoever

Steals This Book promises to be the literary fantasy event of the year.

It’s a movie about books, but more than that — it’s about the courage to open one when life itself feels unwritten.

📘 FAQs About ‘Whoever Steals This Book’

Q1: What is the story of Whoever Steals This Book about?

A: A book-hating girl named Mifuyu must enter cursed storybooks to stop a magical disaster from consuming her town.

Q2: Who is directing the anime film?

A: The film is directed by Daisei Fukuoka, known for emotionally rich anime projects.

Q3: When will the movie release?

A: It will premiere in Japan on December 26, 2025.

Q4: Who performs the theme song?

A: The theme song, “Share,” is performed by the Japanese artist YUKI.

Q5: Will it be available internationally?

A: Yes, an international release and streaming details will likely follow in early 2026.

🌌 Final Chapter: The Book That Reads You Back

Whoever Steals This Book is more than a fantasy — it’s a reflection on why stories matter. As Mifuyu travels between worlds, she learns that every page has a heartbeat… and that sometimes, to break a curse, you must first learn to love the story you once feared.

“Books don’t belong to those who own them,” says Mashiro in the film’s closing moment.“They belong to those who listen.”