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Rie Kugimiya Cast in Kenji Kamiyama's Hirune Hime Anime Film

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, revealed on Friday that Rie Kugimiya has been cast in the film as Joy, the stuffed Shiba Inu toy friend of protagonist Kokone Morikawa. This is the first time that Kugimiya has appeared in a Kamiyama work. The character is key to the film's story.

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
• Yōsuke Eguchi (live-action Rurouni Kenshin) as Momotarō, Kokone's father

The film is slated to debut in Japan in March 2017.

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 Shōji Hata (One-Punch Man, Hal) is the sound director. Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy XV) is composing the music for the film.

The site previously revealed two character designs (seen below): one for Kokone Morikawa, and the other a sidecar that transforms into a robot named Hearts. The website also posted a background painting.

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. The poster contains the text "Why can't we sleep like this all day long?" and "That dream is connected to my family's secret."

The site also previously streamed a teaser for the film in May.

Kokone: Aw, it happened again! Why do I keep falling asleep in the middle of the day?
Kokone: I'm Kokone Morikawa. I live together with my dad who's crazy about car modding.
Text: Kokone Morikawa: Mitsuki Takahata
Text: Director, Script: Kenji Kamiyama
Kokone: The same dream's been on my mind lately.
Kokone: That uncomfortable but warm dream is connected to my family's secret!
Kokone and Logo: Hirune Hime
Text: 2017. A secret door will open.

Source: Animate Times