Not to be confused with Imaginary (film).
The Imaginary

Theatrical release poster

Japanese name
Kanji 屋根裏のラジャー

showTranscriptions

Directed by Yoshiyuki Momose
Screenplay by Yoshiaki Nishimura
Based on The Imaginary
by A.F. Harrold
Produced by Yoshiaki Nishimura
Starring
Kokoro Terada
Rio Suzuki
Sakura Ando
Riisa Naka
Takayuki Yamada
Atsuko Takahata
Issey Ogata
Cinematography Susumu Fukushi
Edited by Toshihiko Kojima
Music by
Kenji Tamai
agehasprings

Production
company
Studio Ponoc
Distributed by Toho

Release date
December 15, 2023

Running time 105 minutes[1]
Country Japan
Language Japanese
Box office $478,300[2]


The Imaginary (Japanese: 屋根裏のラジャー, Hepburn: Yaneura no Rajā, lit. 'Rudger in the Attic') is a 2023 Japanese animated fantasy film directed by Yoshiyuki Momose from a screenplay written by Yoshiaki Nishimura, who also produced the film, and animated by Studio Ponoc. Based on A.F. Harrold's 2014 novel of the same name, it is Studio Ponoc's first full-length animated film since Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017).[3][4][5] The Japanese voice cast includes Kokoro Terada, Rio Suzuki, Sakura Ando, Riisa Naka, Takayuki Yamada, Atsuko Takahata and Issey Ogata. The narrative focuses on Rudger, a boy who is one of the invisible entities known as Imaginaries, created by a girl named Amanda who is coping with emotional loss.

The Imaginary is produced with hand-drawn animation. It was originally scheduled to be released between June and August 2022,[6] but it was postponed due to production delays.[7][8][9][10] It was theatrically released in Japan on December 15, 2023,[6] and was released worldwide by Netflix on July 5, 2024.[11] It received positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation, themes, screenplay and visuals.