BODY: The creator of "Gantz" is heading back to the big screen — and this time, his giant heroine is coming with him. Hiroya Oku's manga "GIGANT" has been greenlit for a theatrical anime adaptation, with the announcement landing in one of the most prestigious venues imaginable: the Cannes Film Festival.
The reveal came during a press conference held by Japanese film production fund K2 Pictures in Cannes, France, where the festival is currently underway. Notably, this marks K2 Pictures' first foray into animated film production, signaling a significant pivot for the fund as it expands beyond live-action territory.
"GIGANT," serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Superior from 2017 to 2021, follows high school student Rei Yokoyamada and his encounter with adult film actress Chiho Johansson — who suddenly gains the ability to grow to enormous size to battle invading kaiju-like threats. The series fuses Oku's signature blend of grounded character drama, provocative themes, and spectacular sci-fi action across nine volumes.
Details on the production studio, director, voice cast, and release window have yet to be disclosed, but the Cannes platform suggests K2 Pictures is positioning the project for international festival visibility from the outset.
The insider take
Announcing an anime project at Cannes rather than at Anime Japan or a Shogakukan event is a deliberate signal. K2 Pictures, established as a film financing vehicle backing works like "Cells at Work!" and "BAKUMAN.," is clearly aiming for global theatrical distribution rather than the typical domestic-first rollout. Oku's works have always had crossover appeal — "Gantz" found a massive international audience — and "GIGANT" 's themes of online harassment, sudden fame, and bodily autonomy may resonate even more sharply with overseas viewers in 2026 than they did at the manga's debut. Expect a high-budget, festival-circuit-friendly production.
Originally reported by コミックナタリー - 最新ニュース (Japanese).