The new cast of " Scarlet" (released on November 21st), the first new animated film in about four years from director Mamoru Hosoda, known for "The Boy and the Beast Who Leapt Through Time" and " Summer Wars ", has been announced, with actor Koji Yakusho playing Claudius, the nemesis of the main character Scarlett. Yakusho will be appearing in Hosoda's fourth consecutive film, following "The Boy and the Beast" (2015), "Mirai" (2018), and "The Dragon and the Freckled Princess" (2021). It was also announced that actors Masachika Ichimura, Kotaro Yoshida, Yutaka Matsushige, Tokio Emoto, Munetaka Aoki, Noa Shirayama, and Kayoko Shiraishi will be appearing in a Hosoda film for the first time, and Kazuhiro Yamaji, who will be appearing in his second film, and Shota Sometani, who will be appearing in his fourth film, will also appear.
Claudius, played by Yakusho, is the character who caused Scarlett to embark on a quest for revenge. He is Scarlett's father and her own brother, the king, who killed him and took the throne. He is a ruthless and cunning man who, fearing retribution from Scarlett, orders his aides to take her life.
Yakusho commented, "I am very honored to have been invited to work on director Hosoda's film again. I was the first to record this time, and I relied only on the expressions of Claudius, who is still without moving, and the director's instructions. Being on set with the director in a silent studio, just the two of us, felt like we were rehearsing a stage performance - it was an exceptional experience. I haven't heard the characters moving yet, or the voices of Ashida Mana (who plays Scarlett), or the other cast members yet. I am really looking forward to the finished product. Director Hosoda's works always go far beyond my expectations and show me worlds I've never seen before. I just can't wait for the finished product!"
Director Hosoda said, "From the very beginning, I created the script and design for Claudius with Yakusho in mind. In Yakusho's previous works, he has been so powerful in accurately expressing the evil and madness that lies deep within humans that I couldn't imagine anyone else playing Claudius. During pre-recording, he portrayed Claudius with such incredible power that I was worried whether the images would be able to keep up with the power of his voice. However, Yakusho's acting inspired all the animators to aim for even greater heights. The voice acting and animation acting complemented each other to create a fulfilling portrayal of evil."
Ashida, who played Scarlett, also said, "I was completely overwhelmed by the power of Yakusho's voice. This Claudius stirred up the core of Scarlett, making me want to carry out my revenge."
Yakusho will play Claudius, while Ichimura will play Scarlett's father Amleto and Saito will play Scarlett's mother Gertrude. Yoshida, Matsushige, Yamaji and Emoto will play Claudius's aides Vortimund, Cornelius, Polonius and Laertes respectively. Aoki and Sometani will play Claudius' servants Rosencrantz and Guildenstern respectively. Shirayama will play the role of a young girl Scarlett meets in the Land of the Dead, and Shiraishi will play the role of a mysterious old woman Scarlett meets in the Land of the Dead.
The theme of the latest film is "living," and Director Hosoda wrote the original story and script. After her father was killed and her revenge failed, Scarlett once again attempts to exact revenge on her nemesis in the Land of the Dead. The Land of the Dead is a place where if Scarlett does not exact revenge on her nemesis and reach the "endless place," she will become nothing and disappear, and so she embarks on an endless journey of revenge. Ashida will voice Scarlett, and actor Masaki Okada will voice Hijiri, a modern-day Japanese nurse who travels with Scarlett. Following its release in Japan, the film will be released in the US on December 12th.
