Toho announced today that the upcoming anime film The Imaginary, from director Yoshiyuki Momose (known for his work as Studio Ghibli’s main animator) at Studio Ponoc, has been delayed from its previously announced summer 2022 premiere to an unknown time. According to the announcement, the postponement is due to “a delay in the animation production,” though what that delay is hasn’t been confirmed.

Previously released teaser trailer and visual:

The Imaginary is based on A.F. Harrold’s children’s novel of the same name that was published in 2015. Yoshiyuki Momose is set to direct the first film from Studio Ponoc in five years (after Mary and The Witch’s Flower in 2017) and is best known as the main animator for many Studio Ghibli films, including Only Yesterday (1991), Pom Poko (1994), Princess Mononoke (1997), and Spirited Away (2001). The original book is described as such:

Rudger is Amanda Shuffleup’s imaginary friend. It’s a funny old life, not really being there, but someone’s got to do it. Nobody else can see Rudger – until the sinister Mr Bunting arrives at Amanda’s door. Mr Bunting hunts imaginaries. Rumour says that he eats them. And he’s sniffed out Rudger. Soon Rudger is alone, and running for his imaginary life. But can a boy who isn’t there survive without a friend to dream him up? 

A new date for The Imaginary will be announced at a later time.

Source: Comic Natalie

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Daryl Harding is a Japan Correspondent for Crunchyroll News. He also runs a YouTube channel about Japan stuff called TheDoctorDazza, tweets at @DoctorDazza, and posts photos of his travels on Instagram.