The TV anime "Mononokai," which aired in 2007 on "Noitamina" and other TV programs, will be made into a completely new episode of "Mononokai the Movie," which will be released in 2011. Kenji Nakamura, who directed the TV anime "Mononokai," will direct, Twin Engine will produce, and, as in the TV anime version, Takahiro Sakurai will play the role of the medicine seller. The special news release video, featuring new animation directed by Nakamura and new voices by Sakurai, was unveiled at the "Anime "Mononokai" Fifteenth Anniversary festival" held on June 18. A crowdfunding campaign to support the production of the film is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on June 24 on "Ubugoe" in Japan and "Kickstarter" overseas, with a target amount of 10 million yen. In addition, a visual project featuring new illustrations by 15 illustrators has also been started, and will be shown nightly on the anime's official Twitter page starting today, June 18. The first of these is an illustration by Yaeko Ninagawa, who was in charge of the "Mononokai" comic book adaptation. The full comments from Sakurai, producer Koji Yamamoto, and director Nakamura are as follows. Takahiro Sakurai (Medicine Seller) Enthusiasm for the production of the feature film version. The work has its roots in one of the "Kai~ayakashi~" episodes that aired on Noitamina in 2006. It was also called "Kakemono. A few years later, "Mononokai" started, and the concluding episode was also called "Kakeko". Then came the year 2022. The work that began and ended with "Kakeko" will be moved three times. I am looking forward to it from the bottom of my heart. Koji Yamamoto (producer) How enthusiastic are you about the production of the film version? When I saw the first film, "KANEKO," I felt a sense of intoxication and anxiety as if I had lost my current position. I thought it would be even more amazing if this world view could be expressed on a large, dense screen. This is director Kenji Nakamura's first film in a long time, and it is also his starting point. After overcoming a number of difficulties, the project was finally realized. I hope you enjoy it. Kenji Nakamura (Director) What is your enthusiasm for the production of the feature film version? I wonder if we are living in a world where individual happiness matches the happiness of organizations and society as a whole. Are there times when you are in great pain because of a certain thing, but the world and society in general judges it to be normal? Furthermore, has there ever been a world in history where the happiness of the individual and the society as a whole were in harmony and worked well together? While depicting the twisted feelings and sentiments that arise from such contradictions, I would like to have the medicine man slay the mononoke that has been born as vividly as if he were slaying us himself. (C) Mononokai Production Committee
【Background】
・Graduated from Kyoto University with a major in Japanese Culture Studies, Faculty of Letters
・After graduation, worked 4 years as editor and proofreader for a print magazine specializing in traditional performing arts and culture
・Became a freelance journalist in 2021 and launched japanculturean.com in 2022
【Expertise】
・Pop-Culture Fusion Analysis
Analytical commentary on how modern pop-culture media (anime, film, fashion) incorporates and reinterprets traditional Japanese motifs.
