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Sumikko Gurashi Anime Film Gets Switch Game on November 7

Nippon Columbia announced on Wednesday that a Nintendo Switch game based on the Eiga Sumikko Gurashi: Tobidasu Ehon to Himitsu no Ko (Sumikko Gurashi the Movie: The Unexpected Picture Book and the Secret Child) anime film of San-X's "Sumikko Gurashi" (Living in the Corner) characters will ship in Japan on November 7. The game is titled Eiga Sumikko Gurashi: Tobidasu Ehon to Himitsu no Ko – Game de Asobō! Ehon no Sekai (Sumikko Gurashi the Movie: The Unexpected Picture Book and the Secret Child – Let's Play a Game! Worlds of Picture Books).

The party game includes 20 mini-games based in the worlds of picture books such as Momotaro, Little Red Riding Hood, Arabian Nights, The Little Mermaid, and The Little Match Girl. Every mini-game can be played with a single Joy-Con and supports up to four players. By playing mini-games, players can receive jigsaw puzzle pieces as prizes. Each jigsaw puzzle depicts a scene from the movie. The characters wear costumes representing each picture book world. The new "Hiyoko?" ("Chick?"; question mark included in name) character from the movie will also appear in the game.

The Eiga Sumikko Gurashi: Tobidasu Ehon to Himitsu no Ko anime film will open on November 8.

Mankyū (Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls Theater, Jaku-San-Sei Million Arthur) is directing the film at Fanworks. Takashi Sumita (Europe Kikaku) is penning the script. Kaori Hino (Napping Princess, In This Corner of the World) is the art director.

The film's story begins when the Sumikko Gurashi characters find a mysterious picture book in the basement of a cafe they always go to. The film will feature new locales, items, and characters.

Sumikko Gurashi debuted in 2012 as slightly negative characters who like to stay in the corner of a room. The characters include "Shirokuma," a polar bear who is sensitive to cold; "Penguin?" (with a question mark in its name), a penguin who is unsure if it is actually a penguin; "Tonkatsu," a piece of pork cutlet that was left uneaten; "Neko," a shy cat; and "Tokage," who hides his nature as one of the last dinosaurs.

The franchise has inspired toys, books, stationery, video games, and other items.

San-X's "Rilakkuma" character also inspired the Rilakkuma and Kaoru (Rilakkuma to Kaoru-san) anime that debuted globally on Netflix on April 19.

Sources: Nippon Columbia, Eiga Sumikko Gurashi: Tobidasu Ehon to Himitsu no Ko – Game de Asobou! Ehon no Sekai game's website via Gematsu