Regal to Host Exclusive Interactive Anime Experience with ‘HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle-‘ This February. GKIDS and Regal are bringing the first-ever interactive anime movie to the U.S. next month. Starting February 27, fans can catch HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle- Interactive Movie at select Regal locations in 15 major cities.
The movie isn’t a typical screening. It uses technology from a company called CtrlMovie that lets people in the theater vote on what happens next. Since the audience picks the winners of the rap battles, the story changes every time you see it.
How the Interactive Voting Works
The movie has about 328 minutes of total footage, but a single screening lasts around 106 minutes. The “missing” time is filled with alternate scenes and different battle outcomes based on how the crowd votes. In the story, characters use “Hypnosis Mics” to fight instead of weapons. Six different groups like Buster Bros!!! and Mad Trigger Crew compete to see who’s the best. When it’s time for a battle, the theater polls the audience to decide the winner.
The film first came out in Japan back in February 2025. Even though it didn’t play in many theaters, it was a huge success. It sold over a million tickets and made more than $16 million. The franchise itself has been around since 2017, starting as a music project before turning into manga, stage plays, and an anime series. This is its first full-length film.
- Release Date is February 27, 2026, at Select Regal Theatres
- Runtime: 106 minutes
- Language: Japanese with English subtitles
- Rating: Not Rated
Tickets are available now on the Regal website. If you want to see how the crowd changes the story, you can check for local showtimes at REGmovies.com.
HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle- Interactive Movie is an immersive cinematic experience where the outcome lies in your hands. Vote with or against your fellow movie-goers to determine how each battle unfolds in Japan’s first interactive anime film, where each film screening is uniquely shaped by its audience.
Disputes are now settled through rap battles instead of violence, using a special microphone known as the Hypnosis Mic. Lyrics delivered through the mic directly affect the human spirit, thereby eliminating the need for armed conflict. Six groups (Buster Bros!!!, MAD TRIGGER CREW, Fling Posse, Matenro, DOTSUITARE-HOMPO, and Bad Ass Temple) from regions throughout Japan now compete to prove their strength in the Final Division Rap Battle, hosted by KOTONOHATOH. In a world where words have replaced weapons, the ultimate rap battle that will decide the future of the nation is about to begin.
