Atsushi Nishigori, a veteran animator known for his work with Gainax on titles like FLCL and Neon Genesis Evangelion, has directed Grotesqqque, an original anime anthology film from CloverWorks that lets him realise ideas he has stockpiled over decades in the industry. In an interview with Polygon, Nishigori explained that after years contributing to other creators' projects, including The Idolmaster, Darling in the Franxx and Shin Evangelion, he asked his studio for the freedom to make something entirely his own, resulting in a film built around contrast and deliberately unresolved emotion.

Grotesqqque is a 104-minute film combining three unrelated stories: an alien comedy, a battle-royale tale about girls in a world without morning, and a vampire story set after humanity's disappearance. It premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival on 24 July and is due for release in November. Nishigori said he favours juxtaposing contrasting themes rather than letting any single element, such as action or spectacle, dominate, and that his approach prioritises visuals and characters over a fixed narrative theme, allowing some ideas to remain intentionally undefined.