Naniwa Danshi boy band members Ryusei Onishi and Joichiro Fujiwara are joining the voice cast of the upcoming Nintama Rantaro Dokutake Ninjatai Saikyo no Gunshi anime film. It is scheduled to premiere in Japanese theaters on December 20, 2024.
Onishi will be voicing Seiemon Sakuragi, while Fujiwara will be playing Kanbei Nakoji.
Masaya Fujimori (Kemono Jihen, Revenger) is directing the newest anime film, returning from his previous work on the franchise’s 2011 film Gekijo-ban Anime Nintama Rantaro Ninjutsu Gakuen Zenin Shutsudo! no Dan. Kazuhisa Sakaguchi is penning the film’s scripts. Ajia-do Animation Works is in charge of the animation production after working on the manga’s long-running TV anime series Nintama Rantaro.
The returning voice cast members from the series starring in the film include:
- • Minami Takayama as Rantaro Inadera
- • Mayumi Tanaka as Kirimaru Settsuno
- • Teiyu Ichiryusai as Shinbei Fukutomi
- • Toshihiko Seki as Hansuke Doi
The film is based on Sakaguchi‘s 2013 novel of the same name, which focuses on Rantaro’s teacher, Hansuke Doi, taking on a teaching role at Ninjutsu Academy.
The original manga series Rakudai Ninja Rantaro was created by Soubee Amako and published by The Asahi Shimbun Company in 1986. It was published in the children’s magazine Asahi Shogakusei Shinbun until 2019, with 65 total tankobon volumes being released.
The manga inspired a TV anime series that has aired since April 10, 1993 for over 2,000 total episodes. The series is currently the longest running program on the NHK channel.
Besides a 2011 anime film, the series also inspired a 1996 anime film and several video games. In 2011, Takashi Miike directed a live-action film adaptation under the title Ninja Kids!!!
The main story follows a young ninja apprentice named Rantaro, who trains at an elite ninjutsu academy in historical Japan. He is joined by several elementary students that are collectively known as “Nintama” (a combination of the Japanese words for “ninja” and “egg”).
Source: Nintama Rantaro Official Twitter
