On November 18th, Ryosuke Yamada of the popular group Hey! Say! JUMP appeared at the "Japan Nationwide Zootopia Plan Declaration Event" held at Ikspiari (Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture) in Tokyo Disney Resort for Disney Animation's "Zootopia 2" (directed by Jared Bush, released December 5th).
The crowd erupted in cheers when Yamada, who is the Japanese voice actor for Paubert the lynx and heir to the family that founded Zootopia, made a surprise appearance. Together with Takahashi Shigeo of the comedy duo "Savannah," who is the Japanese voice actor for Clawhauser the cheetah who works as the police station receptionist, Yamada declared that "all of Japan will become Zootopia."
◇ Ryosuke Yamada:"I never thought I'd become a part of the Disney family."Hey! Say! JUMP members were also surprised.
The event took place at Celebration Plaza in Ikspiari, located within Tokyo Disney Resort. Special decorations were also displayed in various locations throughout the building, including the "CINEMA ZOOTOPIARI" sign at the entrance to Cinema Ikspiari, where "Zootopia 2" will be screened. The large Christmas tree at Celebration Plaza, where the event took place, was also decorated with Judy and Nick figures.
At the beginning of the event, when it was announced that Takahashi would be hosting the event alongside the MC, he laughed, "I'm not the main dish! (laughs)," and then excitedly said, "It feels like it's finally starting. It's already opening the week after next!" He called out to the audience, "Who are you sure you're going to see it!!" Afterwards, Yamada appeared as a surprise guest, and the audience erupted in cheers. Yamada expressed his delight, "It's amazing (that so many people have come)!" and, in front of the gorgeous tree, commented, "It's really cute! Judy and Nick are there... I'm so excited!"
Yamada, who will be appearing in a Disney film for the first time, expressed her joy by saying, "It feels like a dream." "I've been watching Disney films since I was little, so I was surprised to think that I would be able to join the Disney family," she said with a smile. Regarding the reaction, she said, "I'm so happy that so many people are happy," and shared an anecdote: "The other members found out at the same time as everyone else, so the day after it was announced, they said, 'Are we doing a Disney film?' (laughs)." Takahashi, who will be continuing to appear in the film from the previous one, also revealed that her niece was delighted when she heard about Yamada's casting.
Regarding the highlights of "2," Yamada commented, "Judy and Nick have an odd relationship, but you can't help but want to root for them as they work hard towards the same goal. I hope you'll pay attention to Judy and Nick's adorable relationship!" He added, "With the addition of Gary the snake and other reptiles to a world that previously only featured mammals, I think things will develop in a new way. It's even more powerful than before, so I hope you'll go see it in the theater." Takahashi also appealed, "There are more new friends joining the cast, so I hope you'll look forward to seeing what they do and what stories they tell."
As Christmas is coming up next month, Yamada was asked about some memories, and shared an episode of staying at a Disney hotel for the first time on his birthday one year. "My best friend suddenly picked me up in a taxi and took me to Tokyo DisneySea, and when I thought we'd spend the day playing and head home that night, he actually booked me at the Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta! It was like we were in love... (laughs). It was an unforgettable birthday," he said. Afterwards, as part of the "Declaration of a Plan to Turn Japan into a Zootopia," Yamada decorated the tree with ornaments of his character, Poubert, which drew thunderous applause and cheers from the gathered audience.
To those looking forward to the release, Takahashi said, "I haven't seen it yet either, so I'm planning to buy a ticket and go see it with everyone on the day it comes out in theaters! I hope you'll spread the word on social media as well, so that we can turn all of Japan into a Zootopia." Yamada sent a message saying, "In 'Zootopia 2,' the secret of Zootopia's birth will finally be revealed. There are also many new characters added, so please be sure to go see it at the theater! Thank you!"
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. In addition, voice actor Hiro Shimono will voice Gary, the wanted snake who holds the key to Zootopia's biggest mystery.
