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Kids' Anime Character Shimajirō Gets His 1st Film
posted on by Egan Loo
Shimajirō, the popular tiger cub from Benesse's Kodomo Challenge educational line for preschoolers and its television anime spinoffs, will star in his first film next March. Shimajirō to Fufu no Daibōken ~Sukue! Nanairo no Hana~ (Shimajirō and Fufu's Great Adventure: Save the Seven-Colored Flower!) celebrates Kodomo Challenge's 25th anniversary. In the story, Shimajirō and his friends encounter Fufu, a princess from the land of flowers. Together, they embark on a journey to rescue Fufu's mother, the seven-colored flower with the power to restore all the flowers that are wilting worldwide.
The concept of film is to be the first theater-going experience for young children. Like the various Shimajirō television series, the film will switch between animated and musical live-action sequences to maintain children's attention span. Theaters will only dim their lights to half brightness to remove the fear of darkness. The musical live-action sequences will have characters "talking" and interacting with every seating section of the audience.
The original Shima Shima Tora no Shimajirou television anime aired in Japan from 1993 to 2008. The sequel Hakken Taiken Daisuki! Shimajirō aired from 2008 to 2010 and then Shimajirō Hesoka followed from 2010 until this year. Shimajirō no Wow! premiered this past April with the franchise's first use of computer graphics and the ending theme song "Tomodachi no Wow!" by Japanese rock duo Puffy (PuffyAmiYumi).
The film will open in theaters throughout Japan on March 15, 2013.
Source: Cinema Today
Image © Benessse Corporation 2012-2013
