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Gamba CG Anime Film's Promo Features Chieko Baisho Theme Song
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
TOHO began streaming a promotional video for its upcoming Gamba: Gamba to Nakama-tachi (Gamba and Friends) CG-animated film on Saturday. The video features the film's full theme song "Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyū" (Why We Set Out on a Journey), performed by Chieko Baisho (Howl's Moving Castle), with lyrics and composition by Kenji Ozawa, and produced and arranged by Masakatsu Takagi (Wolf Children, The Boy and the Beast).
The previously announced voice cast includes:
- Yuuki Kaji as Gamba
- Sayaka Kanda as Shioji
- Masako Nozawa as Tsuburi
- Akio Ohtsuka as Yoisho
- Wataru Takagi as Manpuku
- Shuuichi Ikeda as Gakusha
- Yasuhiro Takato as Boobo
- Keiji Fujiwara as Ikasama
- Akiko Yajima as Chuta
- Mansai Nomura as Noroi
Nozawa previously played the titular role of Gamba in the 1975 Ganba no Bōken TV anime series, as well as the 1991 Gamba to Kawauso no Bōken anime film. In addition, Ohtsuka played the role of Black in the 1991 film. Akio Ohtsuka's father Chikao Ohtsuka also played the role of the villain Noroi in both the 1975 series and the 1991 film.
The story follows Gamba and his friend Manpuku, city mice who meet an island mouse, Chuta, and set off on a journey to save Chuta's island Yumemishima from the rule of a fierce white weasel named Noroi.
The film will open in theaters in Japan on October 10.
Shirogumi Inc., the studio behind the 3D CG anime film Stand By Me Doraemon, is producing the film based on the children's novel Bōkensha-tachi Gamba to 15-Hiki no Nakama. Ryota Kosawa (live-action Always: Sunset on Third Street, Parasyte, Aibō, Legal High) is writing his first anime screenplay for the new film. Shirogumi vice-president Yōichi Ogawa is serving as chief director and project planner, and Yoshihiro Komori (Rule of Rose PlayStation 2 game) and Tomohiro Kawamura (Ukkari Penelope) are jointly directing the film.
Marvel Studios co-founder and current Arad Productions producer Avi Arad (Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures) is serving as executive producer. According to Shirogumi president Tatsuo Shimamura, Arad saw the film and said that it may even come to North America. Benjamin Wallfisch (12 Years a Slave's additional music, opening sequence music in 2009's Moon) scored the music and conducted its performance by a full orchestra at London's famed Abbey Road Studios.
Atsuo Saitō's original 1972 novel also inspired the 1975 television anime Ganba no Bōken (The Adventures of Ganba).
It has been 24 years since the last Gamba film, 1991's Gamba to Kawauso no Bōken (The Adventures of Gamba and Sea Otter, pictured right). The new film has been in planning for 15 years and in production for 10 years, and it has a budget of 2 billion yen (US$16.7 million).
