"Toritsukare Otoko" - Kakizawa Hayato's voice acting debut, theme song by Awesome City Club, trailer released

It has recently been announced that actor Hayato Kakizawa will be a voice actor in the animated feature film "Toritsukare Otoko" (directed by Wataru Takahashi, set to premiere on November 7th). This will be Kakizawa's first attempt at voice acting in a feature-length anime, and he will be voicing Cielo, the mouse who is the companion of the main character Giuseppe. Other voice actors announced include Takahiro Yamamoto, Shinji Kawada, Nana Mizuki, and Toshiyuki Morikawa, and a new visual and trailer have been released.

This musical anime film is based on the short story of the same name by Shinji Ishiishi (published by Shinchosha). It tells the love story of Giuseppe, a young man nicknamed "the Toritsukare Otoko" by the townspeople for being obsessed with something and losing sight of everything else, who one day falls in love with Pechika, a young girl selling balloons. The voice of the protagonist Giuseppe is provided by Shoya Sano of the popular group "Ae! group," while the voice of the heroine Pechika is provided by actress Moka Kamishiraishi.

Yamamoto will voice Twist Boss, a gangster in the town where Giuseppe and Petchka live who loves twist dancing; Kawada will voice Salsa Boss, Petchka's rival; Mizuki will voice Petchka's mother, who is hospitalized for treatment of an illness; and Morikawa will voice Tatan, a school teacher who teaches ice hockey to children abroad.

The released trailer shows Giuseppe, a "Toritsukare Otoko" who is obsessed with everything, meeting and falling in love with Petchka. However, Giuseppe notices that Petchka's smile seems somehow dull. In the middle of the trailer, we see Tatán smiling gently. As Giuseppe struggles desperately to bring back Petchka's true smile, we see Cielo desperately screaming, "You're an idiot! The biggest idiot in the world!" Petchka runs desperately calling out Giuseppe's name, and at the end, Giuseppe loudly declares his sincere feelings for Petchka.

The theme song, "Fanfare," was written specifically for the film by the three-member band Awesome City Club. The first half of the trailer features the in-movie song "Fanfare ~Falling in Love~," sung by Sano and Kamishiraishi, which expresses the elation Giuseppe and Pecca felt when they first met, while the second half features a rewritten version of the theme song, "Fanfare," with rewritten lyrics and an arrangement.

The full comments from Kakizawa and the other voice actors announced this time, as well as Awesome City Club, are as follows:

◇Kakizawa Hayato (role of Cielo)

This is my first time voicing an animated film. I'm grateful to the warm-hearted team who supported me step by step, even though I didn't know what to do. Cielo, the character I played, is a mouse who always wants his partner Giuseppe to be happy and is always on the go.

I still have fond memories of my interactions with Sano-san's cute and innocent Giuseppe. This is a story in which all the characters care for and love someone important to them.

I'm sure your heart will be warmed after watching it. I hope you enjoy it along with the wonderful music!

◇Takahiro Yamamoto (role of Twist Boss)

I had a scary image of Twist Boss because he's the boss of a gang, but I think he played a funny and comical boss. I hope everyone will enjoy the scene, thinking, "He's called the boss, but he's actually a very human and kind old man. He's so funny!"

In fact, the boss also has a singing scene, singing a Western rock-style song with a twist. The first half of the song has a slightly scary feel to it, and he sings it in a low voice, and then in the second half he sings it with all his might. I hope that this movie will remind people of the kindness that makes them want to be kind to others.

◇Shinji Kawada (role of Salsa Boss)

As I read through the script I was given, I was completely captivated by the warm and tender story. I am truly in awe of Giuseppe, the "Toritsukare Otoko," and his incredible drive to act.

Twist Boss' rival, Salsa Boss, is also an energetic man, so I had a lot of fun throwing myself into the exciting action scenes.

The importance and beauty of being passionate about something. Everyone, please come to the theater and see the miracles that Giuseppe creates.

◇ Nana Mizuki(role of Pechika's mother)

She has a throat disease and a constant cough, so she gives off a fragile image, but she's actually a very funky mother! All of her lines are very unique, so I had a lot of fun acting the part.

It's a heartwarming film filled with pure feelings of caring for others with all your heart, so I hope you'll watch it with your family, friends, and loved ones!

◇ Toshiyuki Morikawa(role of Tatan)

I felt like I could make something really good, and during the dubbing process, it had become a work that I was very attached to. The character I played, Tatan, is a tolerant, mature man, and even from my perspective, he is such a wonderful person that I could almost fall in love with him. Just his humanity alone brings tears to my eyes. He is a kind man.

It's a film that shows the connections and bonds between people. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and I think it's a film that people can watch forever. Be sure to watch it on the big screen!

◇Atagi, the theme song singer for "Awesome City Club"

"After seeing the finished film, I felt it was a warm and gentle piece that will be loved for decades to come. I composed the theme song, "Fanfare," not only for Giuseppe and Petchka in the film, but also with the hope that it would become a hymn to life for everyone. I hope you will join us in enjoying the excitement leading up to the film's release."