Fall Anime "Tiger Mask W" Announces Cast Comments!　Main cast members talk about their hot feelings before the broadcast.

Additional cast members have been announced for the TV anime "Tiger Mask W," which will start in October.

Tiger Mask W" is one of Toei Animation's 60th anniversary productions, and is a new TV animation series based on the "Tiger Mask" manga (original story: Kajiwara Ikki/illustration: Tsuji Naoki) that supported the professional wrestling boom of the past. It depicts "New Tiger Mask" Naoto Higashi and "Tiger the Dark" Takuma Fujii fighting to defeat the revived "Tiger Ana". With the full cooperation of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the appearance of real-life pro-wrestlers is also a highlight of the series.
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Comments from the cast members have arrived just prior to the start of the broadcast. They all express their passion for this work. The program will be broadcast on TV Asahi from 2:45 am on Saturdays starting on October 1 (Sat.).

Comments from the cast
Taku Yashiro as Naoto Higashi/Tiger Mask
The recording studio was full of men! (laugh) In actual wrestling, there is a lot of sweat flying around, andwe are all sweating as we play our roles. This is my first starring role,and everywhere I looked around me, there were only great actors... At first, I was too nervous and impatient! At first, I was too nervous and impatient!But everyone was very warm, and now I feel very comfortable here.
In the first episode, Naoto and Takuma, who started out on the same footing, take different paths.
I think the difference in their way of life is a highlight. The wrestling techniques are also carefully drawn, one by one, in great detail and full of power!I hope you enjoy the wrestling scenes as well.

Yuichiro Umehara: Takuma Fujii / Tiger the Dark
It was a very hot scene, and even the temperature in the room seemed to rise during postrecording (laugh).During breaks, we talk about wrestling with everyone, regardless of generation. The on-off routine is very clear, and I feel that it is a very good place to work.
From the very first episode, Naoto and Takuma's way of life is expressed, so I think you can enjoy that, and the match scenes are very exciting because of the powerful movement of the pictures.
During postrecording, my mind is linked with Takuma's, and I feel as if I am doing the wrestling myself.
There are action scenes, and Takuma is a character with many facets, so I feel that the role is full of challenges as the recording progresses.

Ryoichi Tanaka: Playing the role of Kentaro Takaoka
I am very happy to be able to play the role I played almost 50 years ago. I was 21 years old or so when I played the role. I thought I would be playing the same role as the young Takaoka, but it turns outto be an older role, so there's nothing better than that (laughs).
The scene is full of young people, too. I think that voice acting has changed, with such a nice guy and such a nice voice (laughs)!I have never been so grateful to have myold work revived and tohave people who are still fans of my work as a voice actor. I'm going to work harder and harder on my old bones, so please watch the show!

Suzuko Mimori: Playing the role of Haruna Takaoka
There are many veterans in the recording studio, so I was prepared to be more nervous, but despite the differences in age and careers,we were all connected by the topic of "pro-wrestling" and had a lot of laughs during breaks, which made me feel comfortable like a group of relatives!
I also like pro-wrestling, so I enjoy being able to talk about pro-wrestling in a way that is unique to different generations. Haruna'svarious sides come out as therecording sessions go by,such as her maidenly side that she cannot hide her love for Naoto, her bravado and sense of justice as Tiger Mask's manager who goes toe-to-toe with Miss X, etc.I really enjoy playingHaruna.From the very first episode, the story is full of important scenes that will lead to thefate of Tiger Mask and Tiger the Dark.The relationship between Naoto (Tiger Mask), Haruna and Kentaro Takaoka is also depicted well from the first episode, so don't miss it!

Yuu Kobayashi: Playing the role of Miss X
The character of Miss X gives the impression of a cool beauty, but when she holds the microphone in the ring, she changes her costume and turns into an entertainer.
She is a wonderful person who shows us many different expressions, so I am determined to do my best to convey to the audience the various charms of Miss X.
There is also a thrilling shower scene!I am more than happy to be able to work with the wonderfulsenior cast members and other cast members on a production with such a long history, and to be ableto perform in a wonderfully tense atmosphere.

Toshi Shimada: Playing the role of Yellow Devil
Since the Yellow Devil is extremely strong,I would like to play the role of the Yellow Devil who isso strong that he can never be beaten, who can never be overcome, by imagining a high, insurmountable wall.Maybe "Tiger Mask W" will end with Yellow Devil winning.
As an actor, I want to be that strong! I want to burn. A story that betrays you in a good way each and every time? It's a great story.
The variety of wrestling techniques is amazing. I hope you will not miss it.The main characters and the people who perform in the show are breathing very well! Bravo! Bravo! I'm always thinking, "Bravo!

Daisuke Kishio: Playing the role of Ryu Wakamatsu
While people from New Japan Pro-Wrestling appear with their real names, Ryu Wakamatsu, the character I play, is an original anime character, so I am looking forward to seeing how he will interact with the real people.
I am looking forward to seeing how he interacts with the real people. I play the role of an admirer of Okada Kazuchika, and I often play a duo role with Morita (Seiichi), who plays Okada, so I think I can make use of that.I had seen the previous film, so I really enjoyed the mix of the old and the new, such as when Tiger departs with Takaoka.
I think people who know the first and second generation will be very excited. I myself am very excited! I think that having two Tiger Masks is a novelty, andI think that newcomers to the show will also enjoy it.

Jun Fukuyama: Playing the role of Kevin Anderson
Kevin is still a bit of a mystery. I tried to give him an American image and a brightness, but I was told that it was a bit too much.
It kind of became fun for me too (laughs). Two freshmen, Mr. Yashiro and Mr. Umehara, are playing Tiger Mask and creating something new together with very experienced people.
They are working very hard with a lot of enthusiasm, and I hope I can help them in any way I can.I was also looking forward to seeinghow a Tiger Mask set in the current era would be made.It has an atmosphere of the old days in a good way, and I think that nostalgia is something new, soI think it will be a work that can be enjoyed by young people and others as well.

Yasuaki Uchisho: Playing the role of Mike Rodriguez
Since this is an original work, I was talking with Mr. Yashiro and Mr. Umehara about what kind of development awaits us.It is one of the funs of working on the set to talk about the future of the story. The fight scenes are so passionate that they draw you in.
I look forward to every recording session to see what kind of chemical reactions will occur when the voices are combined with the powerful pictures and expressions that only anime can produce!I hope you can feel the energy and dynamism ofMr. Yashiro and Mr. Umehara, who are about to make history,from the screen!