Gannibal is set in the fictional Japanese village of Kuge Village and sees newly hired police officer Daigo Agawa arrive a broken man. While things start off promisingly for the new arrival, a series of alarming events begin to unfold that will lead Daigo to the horrifying realization that something is deeply wrong with the village and those who live there. Thrown into a hostile environment with suspense around every corner, will the latest police officer to roam the streets of Kuge-mura be able to bring those responsible to justice before it’s too late?

It is set to premiere on 28 December 2022 on Disney+ Hotstar.

Starring award-winning actors Yuya Yagira (HOKUSAI, Asakusa Kid), Show Kasamatsu (Tokyo Vice, Love You as the World Ends), and Riho Yoshioka (Haken Anime!, The Romance Manga Artist), Gannibal features a unique storyline brought to life exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar by some of the biggest names in the Japanese creative industry. Produced by Teruhisa Yamamoto, producer of this year’s Academy Award-winning Drive My Car and Tatsuya Iwakura, Gannibal is directed by Shinzo Katayama (Siblings on the Cape) and adapted for the screen by Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award-nominee Takamasa Oe, who most recently wrote the screenplay for the Academy Award-winning Drive My Car.

Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar, we were lucky enough to join a press conference with Gannibal director Shinzo Katayama and lead actor Yuya Yagira.

When asked about whether he would ever play a Marvel character or be in a Marvel movie, Yagira revealed that he was actually the inspiration behind the design of the protagonist, Hiro Hamada, from the 2014 Disney animated Marvel movie, Big Hero 6.

He said:

“Yes, I really would.??I have watched many of them and do love them.

Mr. Koreeda sent me an email three years ago about the conversation between him and one of the designers of Disney in LA.??The designer told Mr. Koreeda that?the?design of?the boy character in “Big Hero 6” was inspired by?the role I played in “Nobody Knows” (Daremo Shiranai).

I was so impressed when I read the email.

Disney has been very special to me, and it was my great pleasure to work for Disney+ Hotstar and meet Micky Mouse this time.??I think I am just lucky.

I do want to play in a Marvel movie!”

Look how similar they are:

In the meantime, you can also check out our interview with Gannibal director Shinzo Katayama and lead actor Yuya Yagira.