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Ichiro Mizuki Stars, Sings in Ashita no Kibō Anime Film

Ashita no Kibō -Kanashimi yo Arigatō: Takae Tsuneo Monogatari- (Tomorrow's Hope -Thank You, Sadness: The Story of Tsuneo Takae-), the anime film recounting the life of Japanese double-arm amputee Tsuneo Takae, will open nationwide on February 23. (It will start playing in Sapporo and select cities on Monday.) Popular anime singer Ichirō Mizuki (Mazinger Z, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Kamen Rider) not only performs the movie's theme song "Kanashimi yo Arigatō," but also plays his first starring voice-acting role.

Takae lost his sight in one eye and was forced to have both his arms amputated, after touching electric lines during a construction accident when he was 17 years old. In his 20s, he went on to begin to make a place for others with similar conditions like him in Akibira City, Hokkaido. He passed away in 2007 due to illness.

In addition to Mizuki as Takae, other voices in the film include Yoshie Taira as Mihoko Takae, Yuri Hoshina as Kouhei's mother, Midori Isomura as Secretary Yamada, and also Umeka Shōji (Bihada Ichizoku), Daisuke Matsubara (Sekirei), Hiromi Konno (Lucky Star), Yūko Mita (Maison Ikkoku), and Tomohisa Asō (Inazuma Eleven) as more minor characters.

Mizuki's theme song features guitar work by Takahiko Ishikawa, the man called "The God of Guitar" by many. The movie also features narration by Etsuko Ichihara (Miyori no Mori, Little Norse Prince Valiant). Mizuki himself is known as the aniki (big brother) of Japan's anime music field.

Screenings are planned at certain venues across Japan until March 31.

Source: Listen Japan

Image © Gendai Production