"Ai no Shirushi," a song by the female duo PUFFY that was released in 1998 and became a huge hit, has been chosen as the Japanese ending song for Disney & Pixar's latest animated film, Hoppers (directed by Daniel Chung, due for release on March 13th). A dance music video featuring PUFFY dancing to the song has been released.
"When I Became a Beaver" tells the story of Mabel, an animal-loving college student who learns that the forest she holds dear will be destroyed by a highway project. In order to protect this precious place, she uses secret technology to transform into the appearance of a beaver and devises a plan to protect the animals and the forest.
In the Japanese version, actress Kyoko Yoshine will play Mabel, Kote Shinya will play the king of the beavers, King George, while Miyata Toshiya from the popular group Kis-My-Ft2 will voice Loaf, a soothing beaver who is so laid-back he often gets eaten. Atsuro Watabe will voice Mayor Jerry, the human who threatens the beaver forest.
"Ai no Shirushi," one of PUFFY's signature songs and the Japanese version of the ending song, was written and composed by Spitz's Masamune Kusano and arranged and produced by Tamio Okuda. It was a huge hit when it was released in 1998. Recently, a new choreography video has become a huge hit on TikTok, and it continues to be loved across generations even after 28 years.
In the commemorative PV, the two members of PUFFY appear in fluffy costumes inspired by the beavers that appear in the film, and dance enthusiastically to the music.
When asked how they felt about it being chosen as the Japanese ending song, Ami said, "I was happy," while Yumi expressed her joy, saying, "It was like, 'Yeeeaaaah!!!!!!!'" Regarding the dance, Yumi commented, "The highlight is that PUFFY will be dancing! We didn't expect there to be so many moves from start to finish, and the day before we exchanged words like, 'I'm not confident,' and 'Me too.' It's rare to see us dancing, so I hope you'll come and see it!" Meanwhile, Ami blushed and said, "No, I don't want you to see it... (laughs)," before adding, "It's complicated! (laughs)," drawing laughter.
When they saw the film at a preview screening and their song was played during the credits, Yumi said, "It was amazing. I was so happy that the visuals matched the song so well." Ami also revealed her confidence in the synchronization between the film and the song, saying, "(After watching it) we both said that it was really good. Even though it was our song, we said, 'It's a great song after all' (laughs)."
Furthermore, Ami commented on the film, "I was surprised at how realistic the fluffy feeling was. It reminded me of the fluffy feeling I get when I hug an animal, and it was incredibly realistic and fun. I was so happy that through Mabel, we were able to feel like we were animals, so I'm really glad I saw it." She seemed to have been immersed in the world of the film. Yumi also commented, "It changed the way I see beavers in a good way. I immediately wanted to see the real thing. I made new discoveries, like how they build their nests." It seemed she was captivated by beavers through the film.
A special video has also been released, stylishly editing memorable scenes from the film to the rhythm of "Ai no Shirushi." The comical movements and actions of the characters perfectly match the beat of the song, creating a pleasant sense of synchronization between the visual and auditory senses.
