The main cast of the original animated film "KILLTUBE" (directed by Kuribayashi Kazuaki), produced by "STUDIO DOTOU", an animation studio jointly established by CHOCOLATE, KASSEN, and WACHAJACK, has been announced, with Tsukada Yui, Kengo Kawanishi, and Ayane Sakura appearing. This is Tsukada's first leading role, and he will play the protagonist Musashi, who lives life as he pleases without being tied down by anything, while Kawanishi will play Kikuchiyo, a born con artist, and Sakura will play Reo, an inventor who has lost his heart. Images of the collaboration between the voice actors and characters have been released.
The work is set in Japan during the Edo period, which will continue until 2026, and tells the story of a trio of the lowest-ranking members of the strict class system who fight against the only way to change their status, "duel streaming," in order to reach the top in battle entertainment. A new visual depicting Musashi sprinting through the ranks, titled "In Progress #01," a video currently in production, has been released.
Tsukada, who plays Musashi, said, "When I received the call saying, 'Tsukada has been chosen for the role of Musashi,' I was so surprised and moved that I ran around my house without thinking. I will never forget the excitement I felt at the moment when I got the chance to make three dreams come true all at once: to play the main character, the boy I wanted, and the movie version. I made up my mind that this would change my life, I was going to change my life. From the moment I auditioned to play Musashi, I felt the freedom that comes from his straightforwardness and honesty. What made this audition so memorable was that I found this to be so much fun. I want to enjoy acting until the very end. Aim for the top, Musashi."
Kawanishi, who plays Kikuchiyo, commented, "In preparation for the release, we've taken promotional stills and had heated discussions with the director about what kind of film we should create, so we're trying something new and unique. I hope everyone enjoys this new venture."
Sakura, who plays Reo/Leonardo, said, "I really like Director Kuribayashi's visual works and have been keeping an eye on his activities as a fan, but I never thought I would be involved in 'KILLTUBE'. Isn't it amazing to think that we'll be able to continue to see the quality of the pilot movie in the theater? I am really looking forward to seeing Director Kuribayashi's footage coming to life on the screen. Leonardo is cool and cute, and what was impressive about him during the audition was that he kept subtracting from his acting. I hope that many people will support him."
A website called "KILLTUBE BACKERS' STORE" has been opened to sell "KILLTUBE" items. A portion of the sales will be used for production and advertising costs to improve the quality of the products.
"KILLTUBE" was announced in April 2024 as a project with a total production budget of 1 billion yen. The project is being produced with the aim of cultivating original theatrical anime in the Japanese animation industry, and is scheduled for completion in 2026.
