Hidari: Keanu Reeves plays lead in Japanese stop-motion samurai film

Keanu Reeves has been announced as the voice of the protagonist in Hidari, a Japanese stop-motion film centered on the legendary sculptor Hidari Jingoro. The film uses beautifully crafted wooden puppets and focuses on revenge, set during Japan’s Edo period.

Background of the project

Hidari began in 2023 as a proof-of-concept video released on YouTube. The video, which features striking stop-motion action, has since gathered more than 4.9 million views, showing the strong interest in this unique project. Creator and director Masashi Kawamura has said he is aiming for something much bigger than the short film and has been looking for production partners and investors to bring a full feature to life.

Funding and production

In 2023, Hidari raised more than $100,000 through a Kickstarter campaign, paving the way for further development. The initiative highlights the project’s strong fan support, which was also boosted by its inclusion in the Cannes’ Annecy Animation Showcase. The team behind the film includes three production studios, among them Whatever, a creative studio co-founded by Kawamura, alongside the acclaimed stop-motion studios dwarf studios and Tecarat.

Story and themes

Hidari tells the story of Jingoro, who becomes entangled in a conspiracy during the reconstruction of Edo Castle and loses not only his mentor, but also the woman he loves and his right arm. After these devastating losses, Jingoro transforms into a revenge-driven warrior, replacing his missing arm with an armed prosthetic. As he sets out on a path of vengeance, he uncovers an even larger conspiracy tied to the power struggle within the shogunate.

Keanu Reeves in the lead role

Reeves, known for films such as The Matrix and John Wick, lends his voice to this unique animated film as Hidari Jingoro, described as a man consumed by revenge but still driven by an unbreakable passion to create. This marks Reeves’ first role in an original Japanese production.

“I'm excited about the vision behind Hidari,” Reeves said. “From the proof-of-concept to the developed script, the team has created something truly extraordinary.”

With Hidari still in development, the project has strong potential to attract global attention, especially with its mix of a compelling story, stunning animation, and the involvement of a major star like Keanu Reeves.