The Transformers: The Movie is coming to Japanese theaters for the first time, screening nationwide at Lawson United Cinemas.
Released across the U.S. in August 1986, The Transformers: The Movie was produced with an unusually large production system and budget for its time. Its visuals, drawing on the full range of cel animation techniques of the era, and its epic scale captivated fans around the world — yet the film has remained a "phantom" title that has never had a theatrical release in Japan, until now.
The film also marks a turning point for Transformers, the transforming robot characters that originated from Japanese toys (sold by TAKARA TOMY), as the franchise evolved into a worldwide entertainment property. As such, it holds an important place in the history of both robot anime and toy culture.
The fateful showdown between Convoy (Optimus Prime) and Megatron, along with unexpected turns of events involving the story's lead characters, has been passed down among fans worldwide for 40 years as one of the most shocking experiences in Transformers history.
A Soundtrack That Defined an Era
The film is also widely regarded as emblematic of 1980s music culture. Rock tracks such as Stan Bush's classic "The Touch" capture the excitement of the MTV era, when film and music came together in their most exciting form, and the songs remain beloved by fans around the world 40 years after the film's release.
In 2026 — 40 years after its original U.S. release — the film will finally have its first-ever theatrical run across Japan.
The children who grew up watching the Transformers TV anime and playing with the toys 40 years ago, fans of robot anime and hobby culture, and anyone drawn to the films and music of the 1980s can all experience this historic screening, which has never before taken place in Japan.
Audiences will have the chance to experience this story, cherished by fans around the world, on the big screen with theater-caliber sound.
A newly drawn commemorative visual created for the screening will also be used across a range of merchandise. Updates will be shared on the official X account, which fans can follow for the latest news.
Organizer: The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary Screening Executive Committee
Film Information
Title: The Transformers: The Movie (Japanese dub version)
Executive Committee: Double Inc., ePrint Service Inc.
Distribution: Lawson United Cinemas Co., Ltd.
Cooperation: TAKARA TOMY Co., Ltd., Hasbro, Inc.
Official site: https://transformers-the-movie2026.com/
Theatrical Release Details
Release date: Friday, November 27, 2026
Theaters: Lawson United Cinemas nationwide — https://www.unitedcinemas.jp/
Advance Tickets
Advance tickets go on sale Monday, September 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM.
- Advance Ticket A (with a Mochibotsu figure — スタースクリーム新破壊大帝 ver.): ¥7,700 (tax included, shipping included)
- Advance Ticket B (with an advance-ticket-exclusive cover pamphlet): ¥4,200 (tax included, shipping included)
- Lawson Ticket: https://l-tike.com/transformersthemovie/
- Mubichike digital advance ticket: ¥1,700 (tax included) — https://ticket.moviewalker.jp/film/094134?from=official
Follow for Updates
Official X account for The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary Screening: https://x.com/TF_specialevent
About Transformers
Transformers is a franchise created by TAKARA TOMY that originated from Japanese toys, built around the "Robots in Disguise" concept — robots that can transform freely into all kinds of objects around us and hide among them — alongside an epic story of shape-shifting robotic life forms battling across the universe.
Following the toy line's U.S. debut in 1984, the anime and comics became major hits, and toy sales and the anime launched in Japan in 1985. Starting in 2007, Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay brought the franchise to Hollywood as a live-action film series that became a worldwide hit. The seventh installment, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, was released in August 2023, and the CG-animated film Transformers One was released simultaneously in Japan and the U.S. in September 2024.
Today, Transformers is a globally popular character franchise, with more than 730 million units sold across over 130 countries and regions as of February 2025.
Official Transformers toy site: https://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/
© TOMY. "Transformers" and "TRANSFORMERS" are registered trademarks of TAKARA TOMY Co., Ltd.
