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Cats Tail's Tales Omnibus Film Brings Together Dayan, Tama, Tobi Neko Franchises

The Neko no Dayan, Tama and Friends, and Tobi Neko franchises announced on Friday that they will receive an omnibus film collectively titled Cats Tail's Tales. The film will open in Japan on May 10, and will consist of three segments titled "Dayan to Jitan" (Dayan and Jitan), "Tama to Fushigi na Sekizō" (Tama and the Mysterious Statue), and "Tabi Suru Tobi Neko" (The Jumping Cat Travels). Kachidoki Studio is handling the animation for both "Dayan to Jitan" and "Tama to Fushigi na Sekizō."

Hazumu Sakuta returns from the first Neko no Dayan anime as director for "Dayan to Jitan," with a script by Aki Mizuki. Satoshi Kashimura is the sound director. The cast includes Sumi Shimamoto as Dayan, Emi Hirayama as Jitan, Niko as the Three Witches, Toshimitsu Oda as Iwan, Emi Nitta as Roku, and Ai Furihata as Marthy.

The original Neko no Daya short anime series aired 52 episodes, and premiered in April 2014. Neko no Dayan: Nihon e Iku, the second anime, premiered in October 2015.

In Japan, Ikeda's fictional world of Wachifield has inspired more than 30 picture books and novels, an illustration collection, a drama CD, museums, stores, and a theme park. Dayan is the central character in Ikeda's stories, and he is a whimsical, selfish, but good-natured and kind cat whose curiosity often leads him on fantastical journeys.

Dark Horse Comics released the first four volumes of Ikeda's stories in The Dayan Collection in 2008.

Jun Kanzaki and Hiroshi Izawa return from the Tama & Friends: Uchi no Tama Shirimasen ka? anime as director and scriptwriter of "Tama to Fushigi na Sekizō," respectively. Susumu Akutagawa is the sound director. AŌP is performing the theme song. The cast includes Hiroko Kasahara as Tama, Hekiru Shiina as Momo, Chika Sakamoto as Tora, Masako Watanabe as Pochi, Yuko Tsuga as Nora, Junji Kitajima as Gon, Mari Maruta as Be, Tetsuya Iwanaga as Kuro, Fukushi Ochiai as Buru, and Kae Araki as Koma.

Sony Creative Products created the Tama and Friends characters in 1983. The anime franchise began with an original video anime series in 1989, followed by the Sanchome no Tama: Uchi no Tama Shirimasenka? television anime in 1994 and the anime film San-chōme no Tama: Onegai! Momo-chan o Sagashite!! in 1993. A spinoff television anime, Tama & Friends Sagase! Mahō no Punipuni Stone, aired in 2006. 4Kids Entertainment licensed the original television anime in 2001 and aired an English-dubbed version in North America. The Tama & Friends: Uchi no Tama Shirimasen ka? anime aired in 2016.

Photographer Kenta Igarashi is credited for the photos for "Tabi Suru Tobi Neko," with editing by Yōsuke Nagata. Tetsuji Hayashi is composing the music. Yukina Tsutsumi is the narrator.

Tobi Neko began when Igarashi released a photo collection of jumping cats in 2015.

Source: Comic Natalie