More than ten years after unveiling his post-apocalyptic universe, where human scientists embark on a desperate mission to preserve humanity with the assistance of a race of underground-dwelling artificial beings called “Mulligans,” Takahide Hori is poised to release the next installment: the stop-motion animated feature Junk World, hitting theaters in Japan on June 13. A new trailer was unveiled this week, generating excitement.

Junk World serves as a prequel, taking place 1,042 years prior to the events of Junk Head, and follows a robot named Robin (previously known as Parton in the first film). This indie project has successfully leveraged online crowdfunding, raising over $180,000 USD to support its production.

Synopsis:

Something unusual is occurring in the underground realm… A hastily assembled team of humans and Mulligans is set to investigate these strange occurrences. The human contingent, led by the determined female captain Tris, collaborates with the Mulligan team, headed by the original clone Dante, as they journey to the underground city of Karpbar.

Takahide Hori not only conceived the original narrative for Junk World but also took on multiple roles, including director, character designer, editor, cinematographer, and composer. He also managed modeling, animation, sound effects, VFX, and voice acting responsibilities.

The saga began with the 2013 short film Junk Head 1, which garnered the Best Animation award at the esteemed Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. This was followed by a feature film adaptation, Junk Head, in 2017, which received a Special Mention from the Satoshi Kon Award jury at the Fantasia Film Festival and earned Hori a Best Director accolade at Fantastic Fest. A re-edit of the feature in 2021 won a Golden Stork at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival.

To stay updated on Junk World and follow the little robot’s adventure, connect with @JUNKWORLD_movie.

◥◣本予告解禁◢◤
映画『JUNK WORLD』
6.13(金) 公開🔥

世界を熱狂させた『JUNK HEAD』から4年
その1042年前の世界を描く待望の最新作
『JUNK WORLD』が再び未知なる冒険へと誘う！

このロボットが守るのは
「世界」か？「愛」か？「ピロピロ」か#堀貴秀 監督が放つ… pic.twitter.com/J7INCgo0GX

— 映画『JUNK WORLD』 (@JUNKWORLD_movie) April 22, 2025