The latest installment in the Disney & Pixar animated film series "Toy Story," "Toy Story 5" (directed by Andrew Stanton and co-directed by Kenna Harris), was released in Japan on July 3rd. It has been revealed that Shiozaki Daichi and Yoshida Jinji of the popular group "M!LK" have made cameo voice appearances in the Japanese version. The roles they play have not been revealed.
Hayato Sano, also from the group, provides the voice for "Smarty Pants," a toilet training toy that plays a major role in this film. Shiozaki commented excitedly, "I'm so happy!!!!!! I've seen the movie and it was so great it made me want to dance. To be able to make a cameo appearance and to have fellow member Sano in it was just too amazing!" Yoshida said, "I was so happy to hear the voices of the other members in the film, and to be able to voice a character in a film that Sano had always wanted to do, and to be in the same space as him in the movie, made me incredibly happy!"
Sano commented on Shiozaki and Yoshida's cameo voice acting appearances, saying, "I watched the finished version with Taichi (Shiozaki), and you might not recognize Taichi's voice on the first listen. You might recognize Yoshida's voice, though." Shiozaki immediately responded, "I put my heart and soul into it, so please watch it many times!" He further appealed, "We're going to make 'Toy Story 5' a huge success! We're going to pour out our love for 'Toy Story' with all our heart and soul!"
◇ Jesse rises to the challenge to win back Bonnie's heart.
"Toy Story" was Disney & Pixar's first feature film, with the first installment produced in 1995 and released in Japan in 1996. The story of a boy named Andy whose toys come to life and go on adventures when humans aren't looking, and the full CGI that brought toys like Woody and Buzz Lightyear to life, became a worldwide hit. The second installment was released in 1999 (2000 in Japan), the third in 2010, and the fourth in 2019.
In the latest installment, "Toy Story 5," Jessie, a cowgirl doll who has taken over as "sheriff" from Woody and is now the leader of the toys in Bonnie's room, has watched over the growth of the imaginative and shy girl, Bonnie. When Bonnie's parents, worried that she is struggling to make friends because the other kids are moving on from toys and are engrossed in tablets, her life changes drastically when they give her a state-of-the-art tablet, the "LilyPad." Worried that Bonnie's radiant smile, which used to shine when she played, is fading as she becomes absorbed in the screen, Jessie asks Woody for help. Teaming up again with Woody and Buzz, Jessie rises to the challenge of winning back Bonnie's spirit...
In the Japanese version, actor Toshiaki Karasawa voices Woody throughout the series, while entertainer George Tokoro voices Buzz Lightyear. Yumi Kusaka voices Jessie, Alice Alice Hirose voices the new character Lily Pad (the latest tablet), and Ryo Ryusei voices Forky.
*The character for "Saki" in Taichi Shiozaki's name is the "tatsusaki" character.
