It has been revealed that Shizuyo Yamazaki, aka "Shizu-chan" from the comedy duo Nankai Candies, will be appearing as a guest voice actor in the latest film adaptation of the popular anime series "Soreike! Anpanman," titled "Soreike! Anpanman: Chapon's Hero!" (directed by Toshikazu Hashimoto, set to premiere on June 27th). It has been announced that actress Yu Aoi will voice the role of Chapon in the film, and Yamazaki, who is close friends with Aoi both in private and public life, will be making a friendly appearance. This will be the first time Yamazaki and Aoi have co-starred in the film in about 19 years, since the 2006 film "Hula Girls."
This is Yamazaki's first time appearing in the "Anpanman" series, and he plays Moo-san, a farmer who delivers fresh milk to everyone. Yamazaki said, "I never thought I'd have the chance to appear in a work like Anpanman, which everyone knows and has been familiar with since childhood, so I was very happy." He shared his joy at working with co-star Aoi, saying, "The other day, when we happened to meet at a nearby park, Aoi said to me, 'We're both in Anpanman!' and I said, 'I'm looking forward to it!' We didn't actually have any scenes together, but I feel like there's some kind of connection between us. This is the first time we've worked together since the movie 'Hula Girls,' so I'm very happy."
On the other hand, when asked about her appearance in the show to her partner and husband, Ryota Yamazato, she said, "Of course I didn't tell him about it." She added, "We never tell each other about our work. So I often find out indirectly by watching TV and am shocked. Yama-chan has a daughter, and I'm sure she would definitely want to be a guest voice actor for Anpanman. So I want to say, 'Sorry I got to know first!'"
Aoi also commented with joy, "(Mo-san) is a character that is unique to Shizu-chan, whose voice heals just by hearing it. Children may not understand, but I'm sure parents who watch will be happy and delighted." When asked, "If you were to compare Yamazaki to an Anpanman character?" she answered, "In the sense that he speaks slowly, his sense of tempo is similar to Hippo-kun," but added, "There may not be a Shizu-chan. I'd like you to make one instead (laughs). He's a really wonderful person, a kind and good person. He's just like the impression you get from watching him on TV. Shizu-chan isn't like anyone else, so there's no one who looks like Shizu-chan."
The latest work is a story that questions the love and courage that "Anpanman" has always depicted, the meaning of life and how to live. Chapon, a mysterious boy who fell from the sky, meets Anpanman and his friends. As he spends time with them, he learns the joy of helping others and making them smile, wishes to become a hero, and comes to love Anpanman like an older brother. However, Baikinman, who knows the secret of Chapon's birth, appears and he learns the shocking truth. "I'll decide the meaning of my birth for myself!" Chapon decides to face Baikinman together with Anpanman in order to bring smiles to everyone's faces.
"Soreike! Anpanman" is based on Yanase's popular picture book. The TV anime started in 1988, and the first movie was released the following year in March 1989. The previous film, "Go! Anpanman: Baikinman and the Picture Book of Lulun," released in 2024, grossed over 730 million yen, making it the biggest hit in the "Anpanman Movie" series.
