Crunchyroll has announced that it has acquired the North American theatrical rights to the anime film adaptation of Nowaki Fukamidori’s Whoever Steals This Book novel, which opened in theaters on December 26, 2025 in Japan. The Whoever Steals This Book anime film will be available in theaters in Japanese with English subtitles, and it will make its debut as an official selection at New York International Children’s Film Festival.
Here’s a synopsis of Whoever Steals This Book, via Crunchyroll:
“I wish I’d never read a book…!”
Mifuyu Mikura is a high school student living in Yomunaga, a town steeped in stories and surrounded by books. Her great-grandfather founded Mikura Hall, a renowned library that her family has managed for generations. But despite being raised in a book-loving town, Mifuyu has always hated books.
One day, a mysterious theft at Mikura Hall unleashes a powerful curse — the books’ curse — dragging the entire town into the worlds of the stolen stories. To undo the curse, Mifuyu must dive into the very tales she’s always avoided.
Teaming up with a strange girl named Mashiro, she sets out to reclaim the stolen books and uncover the truth behind the curse.
Who is the thief?
And what hidden secrets lie within the Mikura family — and Mifuyu herself?
A story-jumping fantasy adventure begins, filled with mystery, magic, and the power of words.
When the final curse is broken, the truth that was taken will be revealed.
YUKI performs the Whoever Steals This Book theme song “Share.”
The cast includes:
- Rin Kataoka as Mifuyu Mikura
- Sora Tamaki as Mashiro
- Nao Tōyama as Hirune Mikura
- Junichi Suwabe as Ayumu Mikura
- Shizuka Itō as Keiko Yosano
- Shimba Tsuchiya as Takafumi Haruta
- Romi Park as Tamaki Mikura
- Shigeru Chiba as Junichirō Kaname
- Ryōta Suzuki as Tanbi Che
- Reina Ueda as Natsume Harada
- Tomokazu Seki as Osamu Kikuchida
- Rie Takahashi as Shiori Haruta
- Yō Taichi as Kakihara
- Makoto Koichi as Hiroda
- Yumiri Hanamori as Takayama
- Hitomi Ueda as Osanai
- Manaka Iwami as Uhara
- Jun Fukuyama as Mysterious Man
Daisei Fukuoka directs the anime at Kagome Company (Kagokan). Yasuhiro Nakanishi writes the script, and Michiru Ōshima composes the music. Keiko Kurosawa is the film’s animation director and the character designer. Further, Kagokan founder Yūji Higa is the animation producer, and Kadokawa Animation distributes the film.
Additional staff members include:
- Color Key Artist: Eriko Murata, Tarō Kaguchi
- CG Director: Kōji Ichikawa
- 2D Design: Aya Kubota
- Compositing Director of Photography: Yuichiro Tozawa
- Editing: Kengo Shigemura
- Sound Director: Fumiyuki Go
- Animation Producer: Yūji Higa
Kadokawa first published the novel in 2020. Moreover, a manga adaptation by Kakeru Sora was serialized in Kadokawa’s Young Ace magazine from 2021 to 2023. Yen Press distributes both the novel and the manga in English.
