Wasted Chef Anime Film Unveils Teaser Visual

Animation Studio CLAP reported on Monday that the teaser visual for director Takayuki Hirao's (Magical Sisters Yoyo & Nene) Wasted Chef anime film project was revealed at the Annecy Animation Showcase of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, which was held on May 15-17. The studio added that a special trailer of Wasted Chef will be screened in advance at the revival screenings of the Pompo: The Cinéphile anime film in Japan, which will start on May 29. Additionally, CLAP will announce more details about the film at the "Pompo: The Cinéphile 5th Anniversary Stage Greeting" event that will be held at Shinjuku Piccadilly on May 31.

The above visual has the tagline, "That day, 'you' and 'taste' disappeared from the world."

Takayuki Hirao, animation studio CLAP, character designer Shingo Adachi, and composer Kenta Matsukuma are all reuniting from the Pompo: The Cinéphile anime film for the Wasted Chef anime film. The project was announced in June 2023, and the staff revealed a new imageboard concept (pictured below) in June 2025.

Variety noted in a recent report that the film is slated for completion in 2027. Variety describes the film:

A young chef chasing a lost flavor lands in a ruined city without taste. Saved by Kasumi, his cooking awakens forgotten memories. But a dark force threatens to erase all desire — making his quest the last hope to save both worlds.

The film was one of the featured animated works-in-progress from around the world at the recent Annecy Animation Showcase, which is part of an expanded "Cannes Animation" initiative that ran from May 15-17 under Cannes' "Marché du Film" marketplace. Another anime showcased at the event is dwarf studios' HIDARI stop-motion samurai film.

Japan is the 2026 Country of Honor at the Marché du Film, and Cannes Animation hosted several workshops and panels focused on Japanese animation.

Sources: CLAP, Comic Natalie