Scarlet et l’Éternité is the new film of one of the great Japanese animation directors, Mamoru Hosoda, who some consider to be the natural heir to Miyazaki. Among his works are The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Wolf Children, and Mirai, My Little Sister, films where fantasy allows Hosoda to explore the intimate and human connections. With Scarlet and the Eternity, the change of direction is notable. Inspired by the character of Hamlet, Scarlet is a young warrior princess ready to do anything to avenge her father’s death. Along the way, she meets Hijiri, a young pacifist.
Critics’ Opinion on “Scarlet and the Eternity”
Charles Bosson: “You can see that everything is written for the form, there is immense formal pleasure. The Hamlet inspiration is dispatched in four minutes. Claudis disappears, the poet is massacred, and the character finds themselves in the land of the dead. It is a popular genre in Japan called ‘isekai’, where a character is transported elsewhere to settle scores. It’s amusing because it’s a genre of children’s literature.”
Antoine Guillot: “I really like the way the character deteriorates throughout the film. It is very beautiful, graphically. It’s 3D dressed with drawing textures, and in this way, the character’s face becomes more earthy, drooling, more and more worn down by life. It’s rare to see animated characters suffer from the environment they are in.”
More Information
Scarlet et l’Éternité by Mamoru Hosoda, in theaters on March 11, 2026.
Sound Clips
Excerpt from the trailer of Scarlet et l’Éternité by Mamoru Hosoda.
