The popular Scotland Loves Anime festival has announced its return for 2025, bringing a vibrant celebration of Japanese animation to audiences across the UK. This year’s festival will be held in three major cities: Glasgow, London, and Edinburgh, offering a diverse range of screenings and events for anime enthusiasts. The festival, now in its 15th year, continues to grow, cementing its place as the UK’s largest and longest-running film festival dedicated to anime.
Festival Dates and Locations
The 2025 festival will kick off in Glasgow, followed by screenings in London, and then concluding in Edinburgh. This marks a change from the previous year when London screenings followed the Glasgow and Edinburgh events.
Here is the schedule for the 2025 festival:
- Glasgow Film Theatre: October 31 to November 2
- London Picturehouse Central: November 7 to 9
- Edinburgh Cameo Picturehouse: November 10 to 16
Venues
Glasgow Film Theatre
The Glasgow Film Theatre, located in Glasgow, is a renowned independent cinema known for its diverse and quality programs. It is a national center for film and moving image media where audiences and filmmakers experience cultural practices and ideas through film. This venue, which started as a single-screen cinema over 40 years ago, is now Scotland’s most diverse and best-attended independent cinema. It also hosts the Glasgow Film Festival, one of the top three film festivals in the UK.
Picturehouse Central London
Picturehouse Central, in the heart of London, is the location for the festival’s London leg. The cinema offers a comfortable and central location for anime fans in the city.
Cameo Picturehouse Edinburgh
The Cameo Picturehouse in Edinburgh is one of the oldest cinemas in Scotland. Originally opened as the King’s Cinema in 1914, it has a rich history and continues to be a key venue for film events in the city.
What to Expect
The festival will showcase a mix of the latest anime films and beloved classics. The 2024 festival featured a range of films, including:
- Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window
- The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe
- Trapezium
- The Colors Within
- A Few Moments of Cheers
- Ghost Cat Anzu
- Look Back
While the official 2025 lineup hasn’t been fully announced, attendees can anticipate a similarly impressive selection of films. Previous festivals have also included director Q&A sessions.
Scotland Loves Animation’s History and Mission
Scotland Loves Animation is a charity dedicated to promoting anime in Scotland. Founded in 2010 by Andrew Partridge, who also established the Glasgow-based anime distributor Anime Limited, the organization strives to increase accessibility to Japanese animation across the UK. In addition to the annual film festival, Scotland Loves Animation collaborates with other film festivals and independent cinemas to showcase anime-related content throughout the year. The festival also hosts education days, providing opportunities for the public to meet with industry professionals through talks, panel discussions, and workshops.
Expansion and Growth
The expansion of Scotland Loves Anime to London in 2024 marked a significant milestone for the festival, making it more accessible to a wider audience. This expansion, in partnership with Picturehouse Cinemas, came after the closure of the Filmhouse in Edinburgh, demonstrating the festival’s adaptability and resilience.
Festival Director Andrew Partridge stated, “I can’t believe it’s been 15 years since we started the festival, but it feels like the right time to expand what we do and bring the festival experience to as many people as possible.”
Other Anime Events in Scotland
While Scotland Loves Anime is a major event, there are other anime and gaming conventions throughout Scotland.
- Glasgow Anime & Gaming Con 2025: Scheduled for July 5-6 at the Glasgow Doubletree by Hilton.
- Film & Comic Con Glasgow 2025: Taking place on August 16-17 at the Braehead Arena.
- Edinburgh Anime & Gaming Con 2025: Scheduled for April 12-13 at 1 Festival Sq, Edinburgh
These events offer additional opportunities for fans to engage with anime, manga, and gaming culture throughout the year.
Tickets and Booking
Tickets for the Scotland Loves Anime festival are typically available through the respective cinema websites. For example, tickets for the Edinburgh screenings can be found on the Cameo Picturehouse website.
How to Stay Updated
For the latest news on the festival lineup, guest announcements, and ticket sales, keep an eye on the official Scotland Loves Animation website and social media channels. Additionally, following relevant news outlets and anime communities can provide valuable updates.
Conclusion
The Scotland Loves Anime festival continues to be a highlight for anime fans in the UK. With its expansion to London and its strong presence in Glasgow and Edinburgh, the festival promises another year of exceptional screenings, events, and opportunities for fans to connect. The 2025 dates are set, and anticipation is already building for what is sure to be another memorable celebration of anime.
