The Japanese version of the animated film "Moana and the Legend of the Sea" unveils voice actor information!　Mari Natsuki as Grandma Tara and Matsuya Onoe as the legendary hero Maui

Information on Japanese voice actors has been announced for the animated film "Moana and the Legend of the Sea," which will be released on March 10, 2017.

Moana and the Legend of the Sea" is the latest film from Disney Animation, which is still fresh in our minds after the historic success of "Anna and the Snow Queen" and "Zootopia". The film tells the story of the adventures of Moana, a 16 year old girl who is destined to become a part of the ocean after an experience in her childhood, and who has the special power to be "loved by the ocean. The film is directed by the golden duo of Ron Clements and John Musker, the masters of "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin".
⇒The animated film "Moana and the Legend of the Sea," opens in March 2017! 　 Disney's new heroine is "the girl chosen by the sea.

Among the voice actors for the Japanese version, singer and actress Mari Natsuki will play the role of Moana's understanding grandmother Tara, and Kabuki actor Matsuya Onoe will play the role of Maui, the legendary hero who will join Moana on her adventures as her partner. This will be Mari Natsuki's first attempt at voice acting in a Disney animation, and Matsuya Onoe's first attempt at voice acting.

Although the voice actor who will play the main character Moana has not yet been revealed, Matsuya Onoe said of the voice actor who will play Moana, "I got goosebumps when I finally met the actor himself. She looks and feels exactly like Moana, the "Japanese Moana. Her voice is pure and clear just like the voice actress who played Moana in the American version (subtitled version). Mari Natsuki commented, "I was envious of the various qualities of sound in her honest voice. It was really wonderful." The announcement of the voice actor who will portray Moana was also highly anticipated.
Below are comments from Mari Natsuki and Matsuya Onoe.

Comments】 （※Titles omitted)
■Mari Natsuki as Grandma Tara
I love playing a grandmother! If there was a role as a grandmother in a Disney Animation film, I wanted to participate! I had never been to the South Island, but all of a sudden I wanted to go to Hawaii in the summer. As soon as I returned, the current story came to me and I knew Moana had led me there. Grandma Tara is a key person who guides Moana and gently pushes her back when she is hurt or troubled. During the recording, I sang as if I was talking to Moana. I think it is more difficult to sing a song with a character because you have to express the character's heartache and joy in the song.
This movie is about the sea, and I think the sea depicted in this story is not only the southern islands, but the very world we live in. This is a film that I want people living in the modern world to see. I hope you will watch this film because it contains such themes as having adventures and living honestly in your heart.

■Matsuya Onoe as Maui, the legendary hero
I am really happy! I can't talk about my childhood without Disney. Since I am an actor by profession, I have always thought it would be great if I could someday do voice acting for Disney animation, so I feel like my dream has come true.
Kabuki uses a technique of exaggerating various events in various plays. This was my first time to work as a dubbing artist, but I felt that it is fundamentally the same in that I do not move myself, but give life to a moving character by blowing my voice into it, so I create the feelings of that character and perform it. However, the difference between this work and the usual Kabuki or acting work is that you are acting while imagining the interaction with the other person in front of you, but in dubbing, it was my first experience to act while looking at the screen alone and imagining myself in the situation.
I think adults can relate to the struggles of Moana and Maui. I believe that there are many people who want to accomplish something, exceed something, or overcome something, but are unable to take that first step. I believe that this film can be seen by people of all ages and both genders.