A single country has dominated East Asian animation: Japan. That narrative is slowly shifting. Ne Zha 2 from China dominated the 2025 box office and was critically acclaimed. However, this feels like an anomaly as three anime films were among the top 50 releases of 2025, underscoring anime’s continued cultural impact. In 2026, Hong Kong is stepping into the ring with the animated film Another World. Which is surprising, and in many ways an industry-shattering development, as Hong Kong has never been known for its animated output; by my research, it has produced fewer than twenty animated features to date. Another World is an anime-inspired fantasy epic exploring life, grief, anger, and self-forgiveness, resulting in a moving, beautiful, and genuinely powerful film.
The story opens in another world, where we follow Gudo, a spirit who guides souls on their journey to reincarnation. He meets a young girl named Yuri, who is searching for her lost brother, and asks Gudo to help her search for him, not realising she has died. The film then shifts to the human world, where we meet Goran, the princess of Flower City. Despised by her citizens for killing the queen (who died while giving birth), she also struggles with the recent death of her father, who fell in combat. As she mourns his loss, Gudo appears before her, claiming he can show her a vision of the past and reveal her father’s final moments.
Giving any more details than that would be a disservice to Another World, as one of the film’s strongest aspects is its narrative. Building on the summary, the film features parallel cutting in the first and second acts; switching between the another world and the human world, which is a test for audiences. While Godu himself, and a small tummy gesture he enacts, seem to connect the stories, it takes a while before everything clicks and the penny drops. It’s a rewarding narrative experience, one that slowly opens the floodgates before culminating in a conclusion that left tears streaming down my face. Ever since seeing Another World, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
Writer Polly Yeung does an incredible job of fleshing out the film’s many themes. Grief and anger are emotions everyone will experience, but can you forgive yourself if those very feelings lead you to become a different person? The film argues that it’s never too late to forgive yourself and release the anger and grief that live within you, whether they are newly formed or rooted in generations past. Polly Yeung’s script also tests audiences by embracing a structure that rewards patience. In an era of cinema where many filmmakers, I feel, don’t trust their audiences to wait for thematic and narrative payoffs, Another World shows that trust, and the result is a deeply rewarding film.
There is more to this film than its narrative; its visuals are just as vital. While it draws inspiration from Studio Ghibli and other anime films, Another World still feels unmistakably rooted in Hong Kong. Buddhism, though prevalent in Japan, often appears in anime only thematically or with passing nods. In Another World, Buddhism sits firmly at the centre narratively, but is most evident in its visuals. Through the red knotted ropes of reincarnation to the iconography associated with Goddess Mira, who looks after the other world. The result is a film that functions as a loving homage to anime while remaining creatively distinct, allowing Another World to be a proudly Hong Kong animated feature.
It should be proud to be a Hong Kong film, because it’s gorgeous. The colour palette is soft, yet every frame remains vivid and bursts with sheer beauty. The background art is breathtaking, and the another world is nothing short of jaw-dropping. From the forest where we first meet Yuri to the waterfall where souls go to reincarnate, it genuinely feels, pun intended, as though you’re being transported to another world. What stands out most, though, are the character designs. Gudo is an utterly adorable character; although his only human trait is the figure of a little boy, he radiates emotion and humanity despite wearing a mask for the entire film.
That doesn’t even cover all of the film’s visual aesthetics. The depiction of Gudo using his powers to see the Seed of Evil grow within individuals, blossoming or consuming them and turning them into wraiths, is both horrifying and mesmerising. The biggest visual shock, however, is just how violent Another World is. Yet the film strikes a careful balance: the violence is shocking and harrowing, but it never feels out of place. It remains authentic, never breaking immersion or prompting the thought, oh, this is just an animated film.
The performances allow humanity to truly transcend the barriers of animation and culture. Hong Kong cinema lovers will recognise Chung Suet Ying (The Way We Talk, The Lyricist Wannabe) as Gudo, and she delivers an incredible performance that makes Gudo’s humanity feel genuinely palpable and allows the emotional core to shine through. Christy Choi Hiu-Tung is equally impressive as Yuri, serving as the perfect companion for Gudo’s journey and deepening the film’s thematic weight. Louis Cheung (Table for Six 2, The Narrow Road) is another notable presence, offering a solid performance as Dark Sky, a character who begins as a thorn in Gudo’s side but gradually comes to understand and empathise with his path.
None of this film would have worked without Tommy Kai Chung Ng’s immaculate direction and his love for animation. His passion for bringing Hong Kong animation to the world stage is on full display in Another World. There is beauty and meaning in every frame, performance, and emotional payoff. The film is so rich in texture that it may require multiple viewings to fully grasp everything it aspires to be, and I love that Tommy Kai Chung Ng has crafted a work that genuinely rewards multiple viewings.
Another World is a work of art. An emotionally impactful and spiritually fulfilling journey. It is a true odyssey of grief, loss, and forgiveness that will leave you misty-eyed by the time the credits roll. Hong Kongers should be proud of this film, and everyone should go see it and support the future of East Asian animation. Another World is unforgettable and should not be missed
★★★★1/2
Out in UK Cinemas from 30th January 2026 / Chung Suet Ying, Christy Choi Hiu-Tung, Louis Cheung, Kay Tse, Will Orr / Dir: Tommy Kai Chung Ng / Central City Media / 15
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