“Mamoru Hosoda Origins Exhibition” Opens October 28 at Grand Front Osaka, with More Than 300 Production Materials from “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” and More

The “Mamoru Hosoda Origins Exhibition,” gathering production materials of animated film director Mamoru Hosoda, will be held from Wednesday, October 28, 2026, to Monday, January 4, 2027, at the Knowledge Capital Event Lab in the North Building of Grand Front Osaka in Kita Ward, Osaka. Centered on “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” “Summer Wars” and “Wolf Children,” it displays more than 300 items, including storyboards, key animation and background art. The Tokyo venue drew a final total of 250,000 visitors (organizer’s figure). From Friday, January 22, 2027, it tours to the Fukuoka City Museum.

Why “origins” now? 20 years since “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”

Hosoda’s “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” was released in 2006. At the Fukuoka venue, the exhibition title is prefixed with “‘The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’ 20th Anniversary,” and the Fukuoka City Museum positions it as an exhibition commemorating the film’s 20th anniversary. The Tokyo venue was held at CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO from June 20 to August 31, 2026, with a final attendance of 250,000, according to the organizers.

Hosoda was born in Toyama Prefecture in 1967. He joined Toei Doga (now Toei Animation) in 1991 and worked as an animator and director. His directed films are “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” (2006), “Summer Wars” (2009), “Wolf Children” (2012), “The Boy and the Beast” (2015), “Mirai” (2018), “Belle” (2021) and “Scarlet” (2025). “Mirai” won an Annie Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

What can visitors see? From storyboards and director’s corrections to student works

The Osaka venue centers on three films, “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” “Summer Wars” and “Wolf Children,” displaying storyboards, layouts, director’s corrections, key animation, background art, character design materials and more. Also on display are an independent animation he made on 8mm film as a junior high school student, and live-action video works and oil paintings from his time at Kanazawa College of Art. Materials from his time at Toei Doga are also introduced.

For the Fukuoka venue, the Fukuoka City Museum says it will display production materials such as storyboards, layouts, key animation and art boards on its “largest-ever scale.” It will also explore the characteristics of his visual direction and the themes leading up to “Scarlet” in 2025.

Cafe and merchandise exclusive to the Osaka venue

During the exhibition, the collaboration cafe “CAFE Lab.” opens on the 1st floor of Knowledge Capital in the North Building of Grand Front Osaka. It is open from 8:00 to 21:00 (last order 30 minutes before closing) and closed on January 1. No reservation or exhibition ticket is required, and numbered tickets may be distributed when crowded. In addition to a menu inspired by OZ from “Summer Wars,” items with motifs from scenes and characters of “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” and “Wolf Children” are planned, with details to be announced later.

The venue’s merchandise includes more than 100 items, including blue-sky-themed items and designs of famous scenes. New “Summer Wars” items exclusive to the Osaka venue include an OZ logo carabiner (¥1,650), a reversible hat (¥4,950) and a sacoche bag (¥3,300).

Tickets and prices

Same-day tickets at the Osaka venue cost ¥2,300 for adults and university students, ¥1,300 for junior high and high school students and ¥700 for elementary school students. Advance tickets are on sale until 23:59 on Tuesday, October 27, at ¥2,100, ¥1,100 and ¥500 respectively. Preschool children are admitted free when accompanied by a guardian aged 18 or older. A student ID is required for junior high and high school admission. Holders of a disability certificate need their own ticket, and one accompanying caregiver is admitted free.

Tickets are available through Lawson Ticket, Ticket Pia, eplus, Seven Ticket, asoview!, Rakuten Travel, KKday and others. Lawson Ticket sells two limited-quantity set tickets: the “Summer Wars Mini Plate Set Ticket” (¥4,000), exclusive to the Osaka venue, comes with a pair of small plates depicting OZ avatars, and the other is the “Original Accordion Postcard Set Ticket” (¥2,900).

Opening hours are 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30). The venue is closed on Thursday, December 31 and Friday, January 1. In the Kansai region, “Zen and Ghibli” is also on view at the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art.

Plans for the Fukuoka venue

The Fukuoka venue is the 2nd-floor Special Exhibition Gallery of the Fukuoka City Museum (1-6 Ohori Park, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka), from Friday, January 22 to Sunday, March 28, 2027. Opening hours are 9:30–17:30 (last entry 30 minutes before closing). The museum is closed on Mondays (or the first weekday after a national or substitute holiday); it is open on Monday, March 22 (substitute holiday) and closed on Tuesday, March 23. Prices and sale dates were not posted on the museum’s page as of October 20.

Overview

Name: Mamoru Hosoda Origins Exhibition (at the Fukuoka venue, “‘The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’ 20th Anniversary: Mamoru Hosoda Origins Exhibition”)
Dates: Osaka venue: Wednesday, October 28, 2026 – Monday, January 4, 2027 / Fukuoka venue: Friday, January 22 – Sunday, March 28, 2027
Hours: Osaka venue: 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30)
Closed: Osaka venue: December 31 and January 1
Venues: Osaka venue: Knowledge Capital Event Lab, North Building, Grand Front Osaka (3-1 Ofukacho, Kita Ward, Osaka) / Fukuoka venue: 2nd-floor Special Exhibition Gallery, Fukuoka City Museum
Admission: Osaka venue (same day): adults and university students ¥2,300, junior high and high school students ¥1,300, elementary school students ¥700, preschool children free. Fukuoka venue not yet posted
Organizers: Osaka venue: Yomiuri TV, Kyodo Kansai
Planning: CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO
Official websites: https://www.ytv.co.jp/event/contents/hosodagenten-exhibit.html (Osaka venue) / Fukuoka City Museum exhibition page (Fukuoka venue)
*Information as of October 20, 2026. Please check the official websites for the latest information.

*Top image: Main visual for the Osaka venue of the “Mamoru Hosoda Origins Exhibition” (from the press release of the [Osaka venue] “Mamoru Hosoda Origins Exhibition” PR office)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on an announcement by the [Osaka venue] “Mamoru Hosoda Origins Exhibition” PR office (October 1, 2026) and information on the Fukuoka City Museum’s official website.

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team