We Are Aliens Film Review: The Best of Frenemies

We Are Aliens is a visually resplendent animation that falters in its jittery structure but still delivers an engaging coming-of-age story.

It is more dramatic than many real-life scenarios actually are, but this doesn’t detract from the overall resonance of the story, even if the jittery structure and unsubtle script throw up some notable issues.

The two boys in question are Tsubasa (Ryota Bando, of Bakudan) and Kyotaro (Amane Okayama, of Cloud); the former is a quiet, shy child, whilst the latter is a charming class clown. We Are Aliens starts at the beginning of their friendship, as the two form a seemingly unshakeable bond in the third grade. Kyotaro’s chaotic, loud nature fits seamlessly with Tsubasa’s more reserved demeanour—the very definition of opposites attract. Kadowaki’s superb animation style is a highlight of the film, particularly in the way that it showcases and amplifies emotions. The finely sketched, ever-shifting quality of facial features give characters a vivid, lively feel, much like the beautiful animation of The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013).

Like that Studio Ghibli classic, Kadowaki even shifts into more experimental tones, specifically when Tsubasa listens too closely to rumours about Kyotaro that are spreading around school claiming that his friend is an otherworldly alien. The fact that Kyotaro is “different” from other kids is where the issues between the two boys start, as Tsubasa pushes his best friend away in the hope of fitting into cooler social groups at school. In this respect, We Are Aliens is infinitely interesting, charting the highs and lows of childhood and teenage life with a strikingly naturalistic style.

The problems with We Are Aliens begin to stem from just how much ground Kadowaki tries to cover, essentially telling the intertwining story of two people across two decades. It is a journey that can definitely be navigated, and has been by many storytellers, but Kadowaki is sometimes guilty of letting the myriad of plot points and time shifts overwhelm the central characters. The structure often jumps around too much, upsetting the rhythm of the film, and the many potential endings make the conclusion drag on for too long. For all its strengths, there is a sense that We Are Aliens could have been much more, even if it does always maintain a baseline of investment from the viewer into Tsubasa and Kyotaro.

After a certain incident at high school destroys the pair’s relationship completely, We Are Aliens delves into darker emotional depths. The teenage years on show are a different vibe from the earlier years of the film, with hormones blasting around the screen, creating a tempestuous, entrancing tone. We Are Aliens falters more in its later time jump, following the men as they navigate life as 20-somethings. Here, the plot beats feel more predictable, and the heavy-handed script becomes impossible to ignore. But there is always the fascinating push-and-pull of the highs and lows of life, of childhood innocence smashing against adult angst, and this is what makes We Are Aliens, for the most part, an absorbing drama.

We Were Aliens premiered at the Cannes Film Festival‘s Quinzaine des Cinéastes on May 14, 2026.