Human or Machine? First Impressions of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s "Sheep in the Box"

The "Kore-eda effect" is back. As Japan prepares for the nationwide release of "Sheep in the Box" on May 29, 2026, early preview screenings have left audiences on social platforms like X (formerly Twitter) in a state of emotional reflection.

Returning to an original screenplay for the first time in several years, the Palme d'Or winner is trading his typical domestic realism for a "low-sci-fi" lens—and the results are reportedly devastating.

The Premise: A "Little Prince" for the AI Age

Inspired by the themes of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, the film is set in the near future. We follow Otone (Haruka Ayase) and Kensuke (Daigo Yamamoto), a couple struggling to process the death of their young son. In a desperate attempt to heal, they welcome a humanoid robot named Sho (Rimu Kuwaki) into their home—a machine designed to look exactly like their lost child.

What People are Saying on X (Japan)

Following recent industry previews in Tokyo, the Japanese "X-sphere" has been alight with early impressions. While full reviews are under embargo until the Cannes premiere on May 16, the general sentiment highlights three major pillars:

1. The "Kore-eda Magic" with Children (and Humanoids):

Many users have noted that despite Rimu Kuwaki playing a "robot," Kore-eda utilizes the same naturalistic, improvisational directing style he used for children in Nobody Knows and Monster. One viewer noted: "It’s haunting how quickly you forget he is a machine. The 'unfiltered' gaze of the humanoid child makes the adults look more mechanical than the robot itself."

2. Haruka Ayase’s Career-Best Performance:

Early buzz suggests Ayase delivers a powerhouse performance as a mother teetering between maternal love and a chilling denial of reality. Her chemistry with Daigo (of the comedy duo Chidori), who plays the more skeptical and "stiff" father, provides a grounded friction that keeps the sci-fi elements feeling human.

3. Philosophical Weight:

The title—a reference to the sheep drawn inside a box in The Little Prince—resonates throughout the feedback. One tweet summarized the film's core question: "Can we love something invisible? Kore-eda asks if a family is defined by blood, or by the stories we choose to believe about each other."

Why the Industry is Watching

This isn't just another family drama. It marks Kore-eda’s 10th invitation to Cannes, and critics are drawing comparisons to his 1998 cult classic After Life for its high-concept approach to grief. With NEON (the distributor behind Parasite and Anatomy of a Fall) already picking up the North American rights, "Sheep in the Box" is being positioned as a major awards contender for 2026.

Verdict from the Previews

The consensus? Bring tissues. If the early reactions are anything to go by, Kore-eda has successfully used the "cold" technology of humanoids to tell one of his warmest—and most heartbreaking—stories yet.

"Sheep in the Box" is set to premiere in Japanese theaters on May 29, 2026. Unfortunately, there is no release date for the United States or the UK yet. However, after the film's debut at Cannes, we hope it won't take up to a year for it to hit the big screen in these regions.