Keanu Reeves Leads Voice Cast In Stop-Motion Samurai Film ‘Hidari’
by Tito W. James
Directed by Masashi Kawamura and produced by Noriko Matsumoto, Hidari is a stop-motion samurai film inspired by the legendary Japanese sculptor, Jingoro Hidari. The film combines traditional Japanese artistry with cutting edge animation techniques to create a fully original revenge story. The film follows Jingoro, a skilled sculptor who gets set up by his colleagues and loses his right arm. Decades later, returns with his partner “Sleeping Cat” and his weaponized prosthetic arm to exact his revenge.
In a recent announcement, Keanu Reeves has been cast as the voice of Jingoro. As a fan of Reeves’ work from The Matrix through to John Wick, this is fantastic news! He is looking forward to exploring the inner conflict of a character consumed by revenge yet unable to abandon his instinct to create. The actor had this to say:
The team behind Hidari will be at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Festival looking for partners. I wish the whole team the best of luck to bring this unique project to life. If you want to support the creation of Hidari, then make some noise online. Studios are more willing to take a chance on unique projects if they know there is a passionate built-in audience.
For more information about Hidari you can check out our in-depth exclusive interview with director Masashi Kawamura.
