Sumire Morohoshi Cast in New 'Made in Abyss' Film, Triggering Waves of Fan Hype and Anxiety

The main trailer for the upcoming theatrical anime film Made in Abyss: Awakening Mystery (scheduled for release on October 23, 2026) has been officially unveiled. The announcement that voice actress Sumire Morohoshi is joining the cast sparked immediate excitement, sending "Sumire Morohoshi" trending across social media.

The film follows the protagonist, Riko, and her companions as they enter a major turning point in the story: the 7th Layer of the Abyss. Alongside the new trailer, additional cast members were revealed, with Sumire Morohoshi playing the new character Tepasté and Takanori Hoshino playing Cravali. It was also announced that the film's theme song will be "Chain of the Abyss," a collaboration between series composer Kevin Penkin and artist Mori Calliope.

In response to the announcement, fans flooded social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) with eager posts, declaring that "Sumire Morohoshi is the absolute perfect fit for Tepasté," "Her voice combined with such an amazingly cute character design makes me so excited," and "This movie is an instant win."

At the same time, well aware of the notoriously harsh and heavy story developments typical of Made in Abyss, many fans expressed a bittersweet mix of anticipation and dread out of love for the series. Comments included, "Hearing Sumire's voice in whatever brutal twist awaits her character is going to break my heart, but I can't wait," and "I'm eager to see how her character faces such an unforgiving world."

As anticipation builds for Part 1 of the feature film series depicting the long-awaited journey into the 7th Layer, anime fans around the world are increasingly captivated by the stellar cast's upcoming performances and the stunning visual artistry of the production team.

The context

Made in Abyss, based on the manga by Akihito Tsukushi, is a celebrated dark fantasy series famous for its stark contrast between whimsical, cute character designs and a relentlessly tragic, high-stakes story. The narrative follows a young girl named Riko and her robot companion Reg as they descend into the "Abyss"—a vast, uncharted vertical hole brimming with mysterious relics and dangerous creatures. Ascending back up from its depths triggers the severe physical and psychological afflictions known as the "Curse of the Abyss." As the story reaches the 7th Layer, referred to as the "Final Whirlpool," the characters enter the most treacherous and irreversible stage of their adventure, making this upcoming film adaptation one of the most anticipated anime releases for fans of the franchise.