It was revealed on November 6th that the Japanese voice actors for Disney Animation's "Zootopia 2" (directed by Jared Bush, opening December 5th) will be actors Takashima Masahiro, Emoto Akira, Kumamoto Pro Wrestling from the comedy duo "Beni Shouga", Jumbo Takao from "Rainbow", voice actor Wataru Takagi, and actor Umezawa Tomio. The six were selected after passing auditions held in the US.
◇ An even grander scale than the previous work
This film is the sequel to "Zootopia," which was released in 2016. The previous film, "Zootopia," was set in Zootopia, a world where animals live in a high-tech civilized society like humans. It depicted Judy meeting Nick and overcoming many challenges together as she grows into a fine police officer. It was the first Disney animation film since "Frozen" to surpass $1 billion in global box office revenue. It was also a huge hit in Japan, grossing over 7.6 billion yen.
In the sequel, Nick, who has successfully graduated from the police academy and become a police officer, and Judy, the first rabbit police officer to do her job, team up again and embark on an epic adventure. A new character, Gary the snake, also appears.
In the Japanese version, actress Aya Ueto will voice the rabbit police officer Judy, and voice actor Toshiyuki Morikawa will voice the fox Nick, just like in the previous film. Furthermore, voice actor Hiro Shimono will voice Gary, the wanted snake who holds the key to Zootopia's greatest mystery. Voice actor Kenta Miyake , comedian Hiro Shimono Takahashi of the comedy duo "Savannah," singer Dream Ami, and voice actor Kazuhiro Yamaji will also reprise their roles from the previous film. Additionally, it has been announced that Ryosuke Yamada will play Paubert, a gentle and sociable lynx heir to the family that founded Zootopia.
◇ Umezawa Tomio was selected for his first audition in his life and said, "I felt like I was on cloud nine!"
Six voice actors have been announced for the Japanese version. Takashima will play the horse-drawn mayor, Wind Dancer, an actor-turned-politician who captivates people with his charisma. "When I saw the previous film, 'Zootopia,' I was moved by how profound it was, so I was incredibly happy when I heard about the audition. I was overjoyed when I got in!" Takashima said, expressing his joy upon being confirmed for the role. Regarding the character he will be playing, he revealed an episode from the recording that only a horse lover could share: "I love horses, so when I was dubbing the sounds of horses talking to me while I was riding and the sounds of horses neighing, I ended up adding too much, so the director told me, 'Please tone it down a bit,' (laughs)."
Emoto plays the role of Heysuth, a lizard leader who hides out in Zootopia. This is Emoto's first time working in a Disney production, and he says he was exposed to Disney films when he was a child, and commented on their appeal, "The drawings and movements are so cute. I think seeing something like that makes you smile." Regarding his own voice during the dubbing for this film, he commented, "I haven't done that much voice acting work, so I'd like to hear how it felt," and said he is looking forward to the audience's reaction.
Kumamoto Pro Wrestling plays the honest and skilled Inspector Hogbottom, a wild boar who corners Judy and her friends after letting the snake Gary escape. "My mother loved Disney, and she made our house look like Disneyland. I'm an only child, so (my mother) raised me to be as cute as Minnie Mouse," she said, recalling her childhood memories. She said she shares some similarities with the character she plays this time, saying, "I guess the common thread is our dynamic nature (laughs). At first, I wondered why they chose me, but I was so happy because we had so many similarities that I wondered if they chose me after getting to know me."
Jumbo Takao plays Captain Russ, a generous and reliable walrus who guides the crew to a secret location hidden in Zootopia. "Disney films are of course funny, but I think it's amazing that they can make people laugh out loud. There are all kinds of laughs in the world, but I think it's really amazing that they can make children and adults all over the world laugh out loud," he said, speaking from a comedian's perspective. Regarding the character he plays, he said, "I think it's safe to say that he's almost 'Jumbo.' I thought, 'I've just come out of the water,' and told the staff that it was me." He also revealed that during his first voice recording for a Disney film, "It felt so natural I was shaking. I could voice Russ so smoothly, it felt like I'd been doing it since I was a child."
Takagi plays Anthony, an anteater who is the boss of a criminal organization. He has appeared in Disney films such as Gamma in "Up," but he says he enjoyed the previous film, "Zootopia," as a viewer, and expressed his joy at the appeal of the film, saying, "The pictures are simply beautiful and draw you in. The story and music are good, and I was really happy to be in the sequel."
Umezawa plays Milton Linksley, the father of Yamada's character, Paubert, the head of the family that founded Zootopia, and a lynx businessman who wields immense power in the city. Umezawa revealed that it was his first audition, saying, "I was so excited when I recorded my voice, and when I got the OK from the people back home, I felt like I was in heaven! It brought me back to the feeling I had when I first decided to become an actor and worked hard to stand on stage!" When asked about the similarities between him and his character, he said, "I can't go into details, but if there's one thing I can say, it's that he's a very kind father."
A special video featuring the newly announced Japanese voice actors has also been released. The humorous video shows them in special costumes incorporating elements of each character, striking cute poses and unique expressions.
*The "taka" in Takashima Masahiro's name is pronounced "hashigodaka."
