News Reporting

“Mirai of the Future” Adds Masaharu Fukuyama to Cast


Ah, I spy another who can see the future!

Earlier today, the Mirai of the Future anime film’s staff revealed a new cast member. The film will add musician Masaharu Fukuyama as a character known only as “young man” as of press time. The character will be a key figure in the feature, and has appeared in the film’s trailer.

A visual for the character was revealed, which you can check out below:

Mirai of the Future Character Visual - "Young Man"

This is Fukuyama’s first full-length part in an anime film. He previously made a cameo in Doraemon.

Mirai of the Future Key VisualMirai of the Future hits Japanese theaters on July 20. GKIDS announced that they picked up the theatrical rights to the feature in the United States. The film was also licensed in international markets:

  • Canada: MK2 Mile End
  • United Kingdom: Anime Limited
  • Australia: Madman Entertainment
  • New Zealand: Madman Entertainment

Mamoru Hosoda (Summer Wars, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) is directing the project at Studio Chizu. Hosoda is also credited with the scripts and original story. Other staffers include:

  • Animation Director: Hiroyuki Aoyama
  • Animation Director: Ayako Hata
  • Art Director: Yohei Takamatsu
  • Art Director: Takashi Omori
  • Producer: Yuichiro Saito

All five staffers previously worked with Hosoda on other films.

The film will star the following:

  • Kun-chan: Moka Kamishiraishi
  • Mirai-chan: Haru Kuroki
  • Grandmother: Yoshiko Miyazaki
  • Father: Gen Hoshino
  • Grandfather: Kōji Yakusho
  • Mother: Kumiko Asou
  • Mysterious Man: Mitsuo Yoshihara

According to Hosoda, he wrote the screenplay on his own, though he listened to “opinions and the experiences of the producers.”

Mirai of the Future revolves around a typical family living a typical life in a small house in a little-known corner of a non-specific city. This small family of three has a four-year-old boy named Kun-chan, who is admittedly pretty spoiled.

Kun-chan’s life is forever changed when a little sister named Mirai enters the picture. With the new baby, Kun-chan feels as if his new sister stole his parents’ affection from him. He’s quickly overwhelmed by the numerous experiences he goes through for the very first time.

As if a new family member wasn’t enough, Kun-chan encounters a second Mirai, an older version of his sister who hails from the future.

Mirai of the Future was first shown off in May at the Cannes Film Festival. Charades, a new international sales group headed by former Wild Bunch employee Carole Baraton, former StudioCanal member Pierre Mazars, and former Gaumont head of sales Yohann Comte, repped the film at the festival.

Comte handled sales for The Boy and the Beast while he was at Gaumont.

Sources: Otakomu, Mantan Web

About the author

Samantha Ferreira

Samantha Ferreira is Anime Herald’s founder and editor-in-chief. A Rhode Island native, Samantha has been an anime fan since 1992, and an active member of the anime press since 2002, when she began working as a reviewer for Anime Dream. She launched Anime Herald in 2010, and continues to oversee its operations to this day. Outside of journalism, Samantha actively studies the history of the North American anime fandom and industry, with a particular focus on the 2000s anime boom and bust. She’s a huge fan of all things Sakura Wars, and maintains series fansite Combat Revue Review when she has free time available. When not in the Anime Herald Discord, Samantha can typically be found on Bluesky.

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