It was revealed on July 3rd that astronaut Soichi Noguchi will be the voice actor for the Japanese version of Disney & Pixar's new animated feature film "Elio" (released August 1st). He will be dubbing the late astronomer and author Dr. Carl Sagan.
The protagonist of "Elio" is a boy named Elio who loves space and feels lonely after losing his parents, who were his biggest supporters. Elio believes that somewhere in this vast world, there must be a "true place for him to belong". His sad wish is answered, and he is invited to the dreamlike "Comniverse" where representatives of the stars gather. There, he meets Grodon, an alien boy who is just as lonely. The two share a bond, but a threat that will shake up the "world of the stars" approaches. The key to their salvation lies in a "promise" made by the two lonely people... This is the story.
Dr. Sagan is an astronomer who was involved in the production of the Golden Record that was loaded onto the unmanned planetary probe Voyager. In the film, his actual voice is used saying, "Are humans the only ones in the universe? Are we alone?" and Noguchi is in charge of dubbing the Japanese version.
Noguchi said he was a big fan of the documentary program "Cosmos" produced by Dr. Sagan, and expressed his joy at dubbing the show, saying, "It was a great honor. For our generation, Carl Sagan's TV program "Cosmos" was very influential, and I think there are many people who watched that program and wanted to become an astronaut or work in the field of space science. I was in high school at the time, and I remember looking forward to every episode."
He continues, "It may seem like an action-packed adventure set in far-away space, but it is actually a story of spiritual rebirth, in which Elio, a young boy tormented by loneliness and despair, regains the emotional bonds with those important to him. Through various encounters, Elio learns the beauty of coexistence as he overcomes differences in appearance and clashes of opinion. This movie is especially for those who lament the feeling that they are not loved or needed by anyone."
