The Aniplex YouTube channel has released a trailer for “A(E)LIENS,” one of the three anime shorts from the upcoming CloverWorks-produced GROTESQQQUE anthology film.
The premise of “A(E)LIENS” features an alien girl called Elie, who comes to Earth as a goodwill ambassador and looks for “friends” while accompanied by the space bureau’s Kento Kunihara, Her experience is complicated by distrust from the humans and the appearance of a hostile alien.
GROTESQQQUE director Atsushi Nishigori (Darling in the Franxx director and co-series composer et al., The Idolmaster director and character designer et al.) is also serving as the episode director for the short, which has Masato Anno (Flying Witch) as main character designer. The cast features Kana Ichinose as Elie, Gen Hoshino as Kento, and Akio Otsuka as the chief of the space bureau..
GROTESQQQUE is set to debut in Japanese theaters on November 6. after a delay from its previous 2025 release date. The other two shorts in the anthology are “YOROSHIKU★Girl,” where a group of girls in GALs TOKYO vie to become the “Queen” of the game Queen of Butterfly, and the post apocalyptic vampire story “NOCTURNE: NUIT GROTESQUE.” Fantasia Film Festival 2026 hosted the world premiere.
“A(E)LIENS” credits
Production
• Episode director: Atsushi Nishigori
• Main character designer: Masato Anno
• Color designer: Kazuko Nakajima (Wonder Egg Priority, 7FATES: CHAKHO short film)
• Compositing director: Yuya Sakuma (7FATES: CHAKHO short film, Bocchi the Rock! live lighting director)
Cast
• Kana Ichinose as Elie
• Gen Hoshino as Kento
• Akio Otsuka as the chief of the space bureau
“YOROSHIKU★Girl” credits
Production
• Episode director: Takahiro Miura (Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works])
• Character designer: tarou2
• Action director: Isao Hayashi
• Color designer: Kazuko Nakajima
Cast
• Sara Minami as Stella
• Ikumi Hasegawa
• Saori Hayami as Hikarin
• Maaya Uchida as Gorgeous☆Mika
• Chika Anzai as Sword
• Miyu Tomita as Chiffon
• Rumi Okubo as Papico
• Rie Kugimiya as Poyomi
“NOCTURNE: NUIT GROTESQUE” credits
Production
• Episode director: Atsushi Nishigori
• Character designer: Atsushi Nishigori
• Color designer: Kazuko Nakajima
• Compositing director: Yuya Sakuma
Cast (all listed names are Nogizaka46 members)
• Nagi Inoue as Ayame
• Aruno Nakanishi as Shion
• Miku Ichinose as Momo
• Nao Tomisato as Kanna
Source: Aniplex Channel
