Anime film "Monster Strike the Movie" reveals additional cast information!　Actor Kinya Kitaoji to play an old-fashioned old man

The theme song for the animated film "Monster Strike the Movie," which will be released in theaters on December 10, has been announced.

Monster Strike" or "MonSt" is a smartphone game application by Mixi, Inc. that operates the social networking service "mixi" and is an RPG in which a party consisting of four monsters challenges quests. The animation, which is a condensed version of the game and has been distributed on YouTube since October 2015, has become very popular, with a total of more than 100 million views worldwide on August 27, 2016. The movie "Monster Strike the Movie" depicts the "beginning story" of the anime.

It has now been announced that actor Kinya Kitaoji will appear in the film. Mr. Kitaoji will play the role of Kentaro Ishibashi, an old-fashioned man who cannot overlook people in trouble, and who has a great influence on the main character, Flame Ren, and the other four characters. Comments from Mr. Kitaoji and director Shinpei Ezaki arrived in conjunction with this announcement.
Here are their comments.

Comments from Kinya Kitaoji and Shinpei Ezaki, director
Kinya Kitaoji
I am very honored to be able to participate in this groundbreaking animated film version of a nationally popular video game.
This "Monster Strike the Movie" depicts the main characters as they become true friends through their first adventure, believing in their bond with each other and fighting a powerful enemy that threatens the world with "MonSt".
In my elementary school days, every day was an adventure. I wanted to enter a world I didn't know! I was very curious. We played together every day in the nearby rivers, mountains, and fields. My boyhood was in the postwar period when there was nothing. Times have changed dramatically since then. There is the goodness of the past, the goodness of the present, and the goodness of the process. This film also looks like a digital world, but what the boys nurture is the same friendship of the past and the present.
Also, the character I played, Kentaro Ishibashi, is from Shimane. I have done a lot of work with local dialects, but this was the first time for me to play a Shimane dialect. The warm rhythm of the local dialect gives me a sense of the warmth and heart of the region. I am from Kyoto, so it is nice to hear the language of my hometown.
This movie can be enjoyed by children and adults who used to be children.
I hope you will enjoy the movie "Monster Strike the Movie.

Director Shinpei Ezaki
I was "surprised" and at the same time "amused" that Mr. Kitaoji would play the role of Ishibashi.
I had the impression that Mr. Kitaoji was a big, glamorous star. On the other hand, Ishibashi is the complete opposite, representing the people of the city.
Ishibashi was also a difficult role to play because of the gap between his blunt appearance and his gentle side, as well as his Shimane dialect.
However, Mr. Kitaoji quickly made it his own. The love in Mr. Kitaoji's heart dwells in this Ishibashi, and I felt that the film itself is grounded. Mr. Kitaoji gave the film even more persuasive power.