UK anime fans have a date for the diary: ChaO, the award-winning feature from STUDIO 4°C, arrives in UK cinemas on Friday, December 4, Anime UK News reports.

The film is billed as an unconventional romantic comedy — fitting territory for STUDIO 4°C, a studio with a long track record of visually adventurous, left-of-center projects that don't look or move like anything else in theatrical anime. ChaO has already picked up festival recognition, and the UK release is being positioned as a celebration of diverse, award-winning anime reaching the big screen.

A theatrical-only run gives the film a short window to find its audience, and December 4 slots it into the pre-holiday corridor where distributors often test specialty titles. For viewers tired of the usual franchise fare, an original rom-com with STUDIO 4°C's visual sensibility is one of the more intriguing anime cinema propositions of the season.

Tickets and participating cinemas will be the next details to watch as the date approaches.