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Hirune Hime Film Casts Wataru Takagi as Sado

The official website of Hirune Hime ~Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari~ (Napping Princess: The Story of the Unknown Me), the new anime film by director Kenji Kamiyama, announced on Sunday that Wataru Takagi will play the character Sado, an old friend of Kokone's father Momotarō Morikawa. Sado has known Kokone since her childhood.

The film's cast includes:

(Top row, from left to right):

• Mitsuki Takahata (live-action Sexy Voice and Robo, Ao Haru Ride) as Kokone Morikawa
• Shinnosuke Mitsushima (ERASED) as Morio, Kokone's childhood friend
• Arata Furuta (live-action 20th Century Boys) as Watanabe, the CEO of Shijima Automobiles, who is planning to trick Kokone's father

• Tomoya Maeno as Kijita, a friend and bad influence on Kokone's father
• Hideki Takahashi (Pokémon the Movie: Black - Victini and Reshiram) as Isshin Shijima, the president of Shijima Automobiles
• Yosuke Eguchi (live-action Rurouni Kenshin) as Momotarō, Kokone's father

In addition, Rie Kugimiya will play Joy, the stuffed Shiba Inu toy friend of protagonist Kokone Morikawa that is key to the film's story.

The film opens in Japan on March 18.

The film's official website previously streamed a trailer for the film last month. The video previews the film's theme song: a cover of The Monkees' "Daydream Believer" song performed by lead actress Mitsuki Takahata.

I.G Port's new anime studio subsidiary Signal.MD (Tantei Team KZ Jiken Note, Anime Tamago's "Colorful Ninja Iromaki" short) is animating the film as its first anime film project. Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit, Eden of the East) is directing the film, as well as penning the script. Satoko Morikawa (The Cat Returns, Eden of the East, Xi Avant) is designing the characters, and Shigeto Koyama (Michiko & Hatchin, Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit, Heroman) is in charge of mechanical design. Animator Christophe Ferreira confirmed that he is working on the film's concept art, storyboards, and animation, and the website lists his role as "creature design." Warner Bros. will distribute the film.

Atsuko Sasaki (Ryoko's Case File) is serving as key animation director with animation directors Motonobu Hori, Toshiyuki Kono, and Kazuchika Kise. Yumi Katayama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) is handling the color design. Kiyoshi Samejima (The Wind Rises, When Marnie Was There background art) and Kaori Hino (Ganbare! Lulu Lolo - Tiny Twin Bears) are the art directors, Noriki Tsukamoto (Joker Game, Tokyo ESP) is the 3D director, Hiroshi Tanaka (Joker Game, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) is the director of photography, and Shoji Hata (One-Punch Man, Hal) is the sound director. Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy XV) is composing the music for the film.

The film will be set in Okayama prefecture in 2020, just before the Tokyo Olympics. Kamiyama describes the story as one of a father and daughter that is close to his personal feelings.

Source: MoCa News