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The Last Blossom Film Reveals More Cast, Staff, Opening Song in Trailer Video
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
Wright Film revealed the main visual, additional cast, staff, and main trailer video for director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kadzuya Konomoto's original anime film The Last Blossom (Housenka), on Monday. The film's trailer video, along with its October 10 premiere in Japan, was first revealed at the Anime Expo event on Friday. The video also reveals and previews the opening theme song "Moving Still Life" by the band cero.
The newly announced cast are (image above last row, from left to right):
- Hideaki Murata (from the comedy duo Toro Salmon) as Hayashida, Akutsu's henchman
- Hiroki Yasumoto as Tsutsumi, Akutsu's big brother in the yakuza group
- Sōma Saitō as Wakamatsu, Akutsu's junior
- Kōta Nakayama as Konishi, Akutsu's henchman
The newly announced staff include:
- Production: Baku Kinoshita, Nana Harada
- Layout Animation Director: Eiji Tera
- Animation Directors: Yuji Hosogoe, Kazuya Miyoshi, Shuichi Shimamura
- Color Design: Haruko Nobori
- Art Director: Honoka Satō
- Compositing Directors of Photography: Kou Hoshina, Takahiro Hondai
- Editing: Yoshiki Ushiroda
- Sound Director: Kōji Kasamatsu
- Recording Director: Yōji Shimizu
- Production Producers: Kinue Itou, Ryoichiro Matsuo
- Publicity: Miracle Voice
- Distribution: Pony Canyon
Kaoru Kobayashi and Junki Tozuka both play protagonist Minoru Akutsu at both his past and present, respectively. Hikari Mitsushima and Yoshiko Miyazaki similarly voice Akutsu's partner Nana Nagata at different points in her life. Pierre Taki voices the talking Housenka flower.
The Annecy Film Festival describes the film's story:
Autumn 2023. Akutsu, an elderly inmate serving life in prison, is on the verge of a lonely death in his single cell. A talking Housenka flower says to him, "What a rotten life you had." Akutsu starts reflecting on his past. Summer 1986. Akutsu is living with Nana and her son Kensuke in a shabby apartment with a garden full of Housenkas. It is the tale of a one-night victorious comeback by a dying yakuza, and his family's story told by a flower that blooms in prison.
Kinoshita is directing the film, with Konomoto credited for the script and the original concept. CLAP (Pompo: The Cinéphile, The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes) is in charge of animation production, and Michinoku-Toge is credited for concept art. The band cero is composing the film's music.
Kinoshita and Konomoto previously collaborated on the ODDTAXI anime from 2021.
Source: Press release
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