FILM

THE CONCIERGE | Mockingbird Cinema, Screen 1, B9 4AA | 81 mins | 12A | SUNDAY 11th OCTOBER 2026 | 11:00

© 1997 khara／Project EVA.

THE CONCIERGE

Welcome to the Hokkyoku Department Store! This unusual shop caters exclusively to animals, furry and feathered alike. Akino is a new concierge in training and she’s quickly realizing the high demands of her customers—especially those on the extinct species list. From a sea mink searching for a special gift to a laughing owl looking to please his wife, can she fulfill every request?

Why should you watch The Concierge?

Words: Steve Welsby

’Irasshaimase okyakusama!’ One of the most ubiquitous phrases in Japan. ‘Welcome customer!’ Anyone who’s visited Japan knows that ‘the customer is God’ and nothing can get in the way of this edict. A culture truly a wonder to behold. However, trainee concierge at the unusual Hokkyoku Department Store Akino-san is about to have her customer service skills tested to the limit.

For the clientele at Hokkyoku are exclusively animals. Animals of all forms; feathered, furred, slimy or scaled, and it is Akino’s duty to keep all of these creatures, great and small, happy in their highly demanding, multitudinous and unique needs. It’s going to be one heck of steep learning curve! How does one give romantic advice to an owl anyhow? … and, never mind the cats, dogs, birds and frogs, the VIAs ( Very Important Animals), or extinct species customers are about to arrive!

The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store was a short but popular manga series written and illustrated by Tsuchika Nishimura, published between 2017 – 2018. Yoshimu Itazu’s anime adaptation was released in 2023 and was also well received, winning the Silver Audience Award for Best Animated Feature at the 27th Fantasia International Film Festival.

For lovers of both a gentler form of anime, and the kindness of Japanese culture in general, this film offers a perfect, light touch appeal. It picks up on recurrent themes in anime narratives of service giving – think Kiki’s Delivery Service and Chahiro’s attempts to please the spirit gods in Yubaba’s bath house in Spirited Away.

The Concierge (to give it’s shortened title) offers the viewer a joyful and kaleidoscopic collision of colours, creatures, uber-kawaii-quotient content, and Japanese cultural nuance as Akino-san chucks around the honorific phrases whilst giving her all, dashing around, doing her utmost best ( ‘Ganbarimasu! ) to ensure the happiness of her diverse zooniverse of customers.

A perfect Sunday morning salve for the soul courtesy of BAFF 2026. We aim to please dear customer.

🔗 Find more from Steve at @susuki_japan 🔗
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