On August 12, 2026, following reports that worldwide distribution rights for Director Makoto Shinkai's next new film have been decided, Chinese netizens are raising concerns.

Regarding the next new film by Director Makoto Shinkai, who directed "Your Name." and "Suzume no Tojimari", it has been revealed that Crunchyroll, a US distribution company under Sony Group that handles worldwide distribution of anime works, has acquired the worldwide distribution rights.

According to reports, Crunchyroll will be responsible for distribution outside of the Asian region, excluding India, and details such as the film's title, story, and release date have not been announced at this stage.

In response to this report, Comix Wave Films (CWF), the anime production company to which Director Shinkai belongs, updated its official X (formerly Twitter) on the 12th. It reported, "Regarding Director Makoto Shinkai's latest work currently in production at CWF, announcements regarding distribution decisions are being made sequentially by various international distribution partners."

Furthermore, it commented, "We are proceeding with production alongside many stakeholders so that we can deliver the work to everyone. We would appreciate it if you would look forward to further updates," thus revealing that production is continuing towards the completion of the latest work.

When this was also introduced on China's social media platform Xiaohongshu (RED), netizens posted comments lamenting the possibility that they would not be able to watch it in China, such as "But it probably won't be released in China," "It seems unlikely that Japanese films will be screened anymore," "Is this another cycle of hyping up expectations only to end in disappointment...?" and "From now on, I wish the media wouldn't say 'worldwide distribution'."

On the other hand, comments were also seen that suggested alternative viewing methods, assuming it wouldn't be screened in China, such as "If it's not screened in China, I'll go to Hong Kong to see it" and "It's fine either way. It's not like it's a blockbuster that sells on special effects or CG, and I'll probably just watch it via streaming or download anyway."