Kana Hanazawa, Haruka Tomatsu, Yōko Hikasa, Yūko Kaida, Yukana, Yūki Kaji, more join cast
Twin Engine debuted the full trailer (with subtitles in Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, and Spanish) and a main visual for the Gekijōban Mononoke: Karakasa (Paper Umbrella) anime film on Thursday. The trailer announces more cast members, and it also announces and previews the theme song "Love Sick" by singer Aina The End.
The newly announced cast members are (from left to right in the image above):
- Kana Hanazawa as Kitagawa, a maid Asa looks up to
- Haruka Tomatsu as Botan Ōtomo, a lady-in-waiting with high status from a distinguished family
- Yōko Hikasa as Fuki Tokita, who gains favor with Tenshi despite her low commoner status
- Yūko Kaida as Awashima, a maid and Kayama's direct subordinate
- Yukana as Mugitani, a maid who trains Asa and Kame
- Yūki Kaji as Saburōmaru, a samurai dispatched by the shogunate to the ōoku (inner palace) as a guard
- Jun Fukuyama as Hiramoto, another fellow samurai
- Daisuke Hosomi as Sakashita, a guard between the ōoku and the nanatsuguchi (maids' side entrance)
- Miyu Irino as Tenshi (Emperor), a symbol of the shogunate with the highest status
- Kenjiro Tsuda as Hokuto Mizorogi, the priest of the ōoku
The previously announced cast members include (from left to right in the image above, starting with second character):
- Tomoyo Kurosawa as Asa
- Aoi Yūki as Kame
- Mami Koyama as Kayama
Kenji Nakamura is returning to direct the Mononoke film, with production at Twin Engine. The staff also includes:
- Animation Production: EOTA
- Character Design: Kitsuneko Nagata
- Animation Character Designer, Chief Animation Director: Yūichi Takahashi
- Background Design: Yōichi Katōno
- Background Directors: Akira Kuramoto, Yōko Saitō
- Color Design: Kunio Tsujita
- Visual Director: Yoichi Senzui
- 3D Director: Kenichi Shirai
- Editing: Shigeru Nishiyama
- Sound Director: Yukio Nagasaki
- Music: Taku Iwasaki
- Producers: Kimiaki Sato, Yūki Sudō
- Planning Production: Kōji Yamamoto
The Mononoke anime premiered in 2007 and aired for 12 episodes. The series is a spinoff of the Ayakashi - Samurai Horror Tales anime. Specifically, it follows the medicine seller from the "Bakeneko" (Goblin Cat) arc. The Mononoke anime has five arcs, the last of which is titled "Bakeneko."
Kenji Nakamura directed the television anime at Toei Animation, and Takashi Hashimoto designed the characters and served as chief animation director. Yasuharu Takanashi composed the music.
The anime previously streamed on Crunchyroll, but is currently available on other streaming services such as The Roku Channel and Netflix. New Video Group released the series on DVD in North America in 2014.
Source: Press release