2017 marks 100 years since the birth of Japanese animation - please join us to pay homage to an art form Japan has made its own and what's more, there isn't a single Studio Ghibli film in sight. Sure, we love Hayao Miyazaki (legendary Ghibli co-founder), Totoro, and Princess Mononoke as much as the next fan, but this is a chance for the rest of the anime kingdom to shine.

We begin by welcoming back the hugely popular Your Name, the body-swapping romance that has beaten Ghibli's very own Spirited Away to become the highest grossing anime film of all time. Discover two long lost masterpieces in the shape of psychedelic 70s experiment Belladonna of Sadness and 1945 propaganda Momotaro, Sacred Sailors (Japan's very first feature length anime), plus immerse yourself in the creepily timely Perfect Blue (now celebrating its 20th anniversary), and there's fun for all the family with lush fantasy Wolf Children and quirky mermaid musical Lu Over The Wall.

There's also a FREE family drop-in event exploring the themes of Wolf Children, where children and their families can build their own plushie beasts, craft origami animals in our Japanese-style home and indoor forest, and get creative at our animation stations!

This season is curated by Louise Milsom, a student at the University of West of England who is splitting her time between UWE and Watershed whilst studying for an MA in Curating, mentored by the Watershed team.

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