It has been revealed that actor Takashi Okabe will be appearing as a voice actor in the animated feature film "A NEW DAWN" (directed by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya). This will be Okabe's first time trying his hand at voice acting, and he will be playing the role of Eitarou Tatewaki, the father of the main character Keitaro Tatewaki, played by actor Riku Hagiwara Hagiwara.
Eitaro was a fireworks craftsman who led the Obito Fireworks Shop, where the story is set, but his whereabouts are unknown. However, the words, materials, and ideas that Eitaro left behind will transcend time and greatly change the destinies of his son Keitaro and his childhood friend, Shikimori Kaoru, played by Furukawa Kotone.
Okabe commented, "My family and friends have been telling me for decades that your face may be like this, but your voice is pretty good, so maybe you could get that kind of work. Finally, I got my first job as a voice actor!! However, when I tried to express emotions, they didn't match my movements, and when I tried to match my emotions to the movements, my emotions couldn't keep up, so I had a hard time. All of this was a new experience for me, and it was a great experience. Director Shinomiya, who is also a Japanese painter, uses beautiful colors. I'm sure it will be overwhelming when seen on the big screen. I hope you'll see it in the theater!"
It was also announced that voice actor Miyu Irino will be appearing. He will play Tatewaki Sentaro, also known as "Chichi", Keitaro's older brother and Kaoru's childhood friend. Irino said, "I am very honored to be able to take part in Director Shinomiya's first feature-length animation. When I saw the audition materials for this work, I was instantly drawn to the atmosphere that emanated from the work. The recording was very difficult, but it was a special time. I felt like I was able to grasp what the director was looking for, and was completely focused on the expressions and feelings that came from within me, as well as the acting of the two leading actors. I am very excited to see what kind of work it will be. There are things that you can't see anywhere else, things that you can only see and feel in this work! There is definitely something."
The film is the first feature-length animated feature directed by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, who has worked on anime directed by directors such as Makoto Shinkai and Sunao Katabuchi, centering on his activities as a Japanese painter. It is a Japanese-French co-production with French studio Miyu Productions, and was selected as one of five films in various stages of production from around the world at the Annecy Animation Showcase, Marché du Film, held in May 2024, at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Set at Obito Fireworks, a 330-year-old fireworks factory facing forced eviction, the film depicts two days surrounding the young people who grew up there and the mythical fireworks "Shuhari." Hagiwara and Furukawa, both of whom are trying their hand at voice acting for the first time, star in the film.
