It has been announced that the Japanese dubbed version of the 3DCG animated film "Yozen," which was a hit in China, will be released on March 21st. It has also been announced that voice actors Miyuki Sawashiro, Kenjiro Tsuda, and Natsue Coco will appear. The film tells an original story with Yang Zen, a character from the classic Chinese novel "Engi: The Engisha of the Gods," as the main character. Sawashiro will play Enra, a mysterious dancer who pursues the "power of the gods," Tsuda will play Shinkohyou, a general who vows to take revenge on the "gods," and Natsue will play Kotenken, Yozen's partner.
The film is a feature-length animation produced by the Chinese animation studio Zuiguang Animation, known for "White Snake: Origin" and "Nata Reincarnation," and directed by Zhao Zhi. Released in China in August 2022, the high-quality graphics and action scenes drew attention, and the film became a huge hit in China, grossing more than 10 billion yen.
The Japanese dubbed version is also attracting attention for featuring the double lead roles played by popular group Ae! group's Sano Akiya as Yozen, a bounty hunter who has lost his "godly powers," and voice actor Toshiki Masuda as Jinkou, a boy who has stolen the "godly powers."
Sawashiro, who plays Enra, commented, "Fragrance, beauty, nobility, strength, compassion...! Ah, I can't say much, but I have done the Japanese dubbing for Enra, a charming woman who has it all. My name is Miyuki Sawashiro. The challenge is to convey all of her charm in Japanese. I hope you enjoy the dubbed version. I hope you will experience the stunning energy of the visuals and the epic story at the cinema!"
Tsuda, who plays Shinkouhyou, said, "I had heard that Sano, who plays Youzen, was going to try his hand at recording an anime, so I was surprised that we would be co-starring. I was very happy to hear that the requests from the audience who saw the subtitled version were the deciding factor. I think Shinkouhyou is an eccentric character, but he also has a cool side to him because he is actually very capable. I was very grateful to have been able to play a role that is dramatic and marks a turning point. It is a fantastical and original work based on the classics, and the visual quality is high and there are lots of things to see, so I hope people will see it in the theater."
Natsue, who plays Kotenken, commented, "Nice to meet you, I'm Natsue Coco. Actually, I'm a cat, but this time I'm playing Yang Zen's noisy partner, a doggy named Hao Tianken. The world of Yang Zen seen from Hao Tianken's perspective is a colorful world full of excitement, where even difficulties aren't so bad and there are friends to face them alongside. He's a very lively character whose emotions and thoughts are expressed more than most people (or more than dogs?). When you see it at the theater, be sure to pay attention to Hao Tianken, whose face gives out a lot of information before his mouth! Thank you so much for allowing me to be involved in such a wonderful production."
A special trailer featuring the main characters, as well as character posters for Yozen, Jinkou, Enra, Shinkouhyou, and Kotenken have been released.
