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Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Mutsumi Tamura, Ayumi Fujimura Lead Anime Mirai Cast

The voice casts for three of the Anime Mirai 2014 projects were announced at the "Japa-Con TV's '3rd Anniversary!' Fan Appreciation Event 2013" on Sunday. TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills in Tokyo and other theaters throughout Japan will begin screening the anime shorts on March 1, 2014.



Ultra Super Pictures
Title: "Harmonie" (Arumoni)

Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Akio Honjō
Reina Ueda as Juri Makina
Manami Numakura as Mayumi
Yō Taichi as Ryōko
Kenta Matsumoto as Yoshida
Ryō Iwasaki as Watanabe
Makoto Furukawa as Gotō

Every person has his or her own little world. Among the 34 bustling students of classroom 2-1, there are many such worlds.

Akio Honjō's world — my world — is filled with passionate talk about last night's anime with Yoshida, Watanabe, and other friends. It's an fun, comfortable place…. But, I always wonder. Wonder about the world of Juri Makina, smiling and surrounded by gorgeous friends on the other side of the classroom.

One day, I enter her world. But it's not as simple as it sounds.

Director: Yasuhiro Yoshiura (Kimi no Iru Machi, Eve no Jikan, Patema Inverted)
Producer: Ryousuke Inagaki
Production Head: Ryousuke Inagaki
Character Design: Atsushi Ikariya
Animation Director: Atsushi Ikariya
Animation Direction Assistant: Daisuke Mataga



A-1 Pictures
Title: "Ōkii Ichinensei to Chiisana Ninensei" (The Big First-Grader and the Small Second-Grader)

Mutsumi Tamura as Masaya
Akiko Yajima as Akiyo
Misaki Kuno as Mariko

First-grader Masaya is a crybaby despite his large stature, so he can't walk by himself on the dark path to school. The one who holds his hand is Akiyo, a tiny but capable second-grader.

Masaya wants to be strong like Akiyo and admires her, but one day, something happens that leaves Akiyo in tears.

To lift Akiyo's spirits, Masaya goes trekking to the distant Ipponsugi forest to find the spotted bellflowers that Akiyo loves.

Director: Ayumu Watanabe (Space Brothers, Mysterious Girlfriend X, Danchi Tomoo)
Producer: Makoto Sotozaki
Production Head: Takuya Hirata
Character Designer: Shizue Kaneko
Animation Director: Keiichirou Matsui
Animation Direction Assistant: Koji Watanabe



Shinei Animation
Title: "Paroru no Miraijima" (Paroru's Future Island)

Ayumi Fujimura as Paroru
Anri Katsu as Zūzu
Ayako Kawasumi as Rikotto

There is a tiny island floating on the other side of a distant sea. Strange animals, still unknown to humans, live there. The children of the island — Paroru, Zūzu, and Rikotto — come across a photo of the human world one day, and fascinated by this beautiful wonder, break the rules and rush out of the island. Paroru and the others are surprised and excited to see the human world for the first time. However, unforeseen pitfalls await them there…. Can they safely reach their journey's destination?

Director: Kazuaki Imai (Doraemon episode director, Valkyria Chronicles unit director)
Producer: Maiko Okada
Character Design: Yoshimichi Kameda
Animation Director: Yoshimichi Kameda
Animation Direction Assistant: Tetsurō Karai



Studio 4°C
Title: "Kuro no Su - Chronus-"

Details on "Kuro no Su - Chronus-" will be announced in the future.

Makoto Nakazono is a high school student with a small dark secret. Since he was little, he has had the mysterious power to see "black entities" that steal souls.

One day, he is suddenly interrogated by one of the "black entities," Akira Seno: "Will you get in our way?"

But Makoto replies with an air of resignation, "There's nothing I can do anyway, so I won't."

At that moment, Makoto didn't notice the threatening shadow approaching his childhood friend Hazuki …

Director: Naoyuki Onda (character designs on Ai no Kusabi, Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King, Ergo Proxy, Gantz)
Producer: Eiko Tanaka
Production Head: Hiroto Yonemori
Character Design: Yasuyuki Shimizu
Animation Director: Yasuyuki Shimizu
Animation Direction Assistant: Mikine Kuwabara

The four studios will each receive 38 million yen (about US$380,000) from the "Young Animator Training Project" to make a half-hour anime. Just like the last three years, the Japan Animation Creators Association (JAniCA) received the money from the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs, and it will distribute most of those funds to studios who will train young animators on-the-job this year.

Source: AniFav