Mari Okada of "Anohana" x MAPPA's first original theatrical anime "Alice and Telles' Maboroshi Factory" special trailer and cast released! The urge to fall in love destroys the world...

MAPPA announced its first original theatrical animation work "Alice and Telles' Maboroshi Factory". An event report featuring Junya Enoki and others has also arrived.

Junya Enoki is the screenwriter of "Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai" (We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day), which became the foundation of the current anime boom as an "anime that makes adults cry. Mari Okada is the screenwriter of "Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai" (We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day), which became the foundation of the current anime boom as an "anime that makes adults cry".

It was announced that "Alice and Telles' Maboroshi Factory," Okada's latest work as director and Studio MAPPA's first original animated feature film, will be released on a nationwide roadshow from September 15, 2023 (Fri.).

On Sunday, May 21, a special stage for this work was held within the "MAPPA STAGE 2023" at the Tokyo Garden Theater. The cast members Junya Enoki, Rena Ueda, and Misaki Hisano took the stage and showed a special news clip.

The special video was also shown.

＜STORY
Masamune is a third-year junior high school student living in a town where all exits have been lost and time has stopped due to a sudden explosion at a steel mill.
The residents spend their days in depression, forbidden to change so that they can one day return to normal, when a mysterious classmate, Mutsumi, leads them to the fifth blast furnace at the steel mill.
There they meet a girl who cannot speak and looks like a wild wolf. The encounter between the two girls and Masamune upsets the balance of the world, and the unstoppable "impulse to love" of the boys and girls who are tired of their daily lives begins to destroy the world.

Special video: #

MAPPA STAGE 2023" Official Report

Alice and Telles' Maboroshi Factory" is a completely original story by Mari Okada, and is MAPPA's first original theatrical animation work. MAPPA President Otsuka, who fell in love with Okada's talent, decided to produce this project, saying, "I want to create a work that thoroughly pursues the world that Okada wants to create. The special video was released at the same time, and it quickly garnered worldwide attention with over 5 million views.

Since then, the project has been shrouded in a veil with no new information, but on this day, with the latest information to be announced, the audience of over 5,000 people on stage looked on in anticipation as the MC called for Junya Enoki, Rena Ueda, and Misaki Kuno to appear! As the cheers continued to ring out, it was announced that Enoki, Ueda, and Kuno would be the main cast of the film.

It was also revealed that the story takes place in "a town that lost its way out of an explosion at a steel mill one day, and even time has stopped. The inhabitants of this world are forbidden to "change" so that they can one day return to normal.

Enoki plays Masamune Kikuiri, a third-year junior high school student who spends his boring days in this closed-off world. Enoki said, "Masamune is 14 years old and time has stopped, so he starts from a place of boredom and depression because he feels that he should not change. How will he change when he gets involved with Mutsumi and Gomi... I'm really scared I'm going to spoil it...!" He explained his role with trepidation, "I think it's going to be a very rich work! He said confidently, "I think it's going to be a very rich work!

Ueda, who will be playing the role of Mutsumi Sagami, a classmate with a slightly mature atmosphere who is of interest to Masamune, said, "Mutsumi is a mysterious girl. She is a mysterious girl who is more determined than others not to be moved by the rules of this town, which prohibit moving the heart and not allowing it to change. The character who is the most determined than anyone else not to be moved. Why does she follow the rules so closely? What are their true feelings? I think you will find the film more interesting if you watch it while trying to find out. He is such an exquisite character.

Gomi, played by Kuno, is a mysterious girl who appears out of the blue, unable to speak and bare her emotions. "She can't speak the language, and her identity is unknown, like a wolf in the field... Her speech is limited, and I feel she can't speak at all (laughs). She is a girl who holds the key to the story.

Choosing his words carefully, Enoki explained, "All three of them are like the main characters in this play, and the growth of all three is depicted in this play. Ueda also revealed the appeal of the film, saying, "The explosiveness of your plays is unbelievable! Enoki and Kuno were also praised for their "explosive power in expressing the story and the growth of the characters, which I think will be a highlight of this production. Enoki responded excitedly, "Ueda-san was great too! Kuno responded excitedly, "I've never seen Rena like that before! Enoki said, "It's a work that deals with human beings, so the three of us formed a triangle during postrecording, watching each other as we droned on and on. I have fond memories of that." When Enoki revealed a surprising episode, the audience let out a cry of admiration.

Next, a message from Director Okada was read out, followed by a corner where the cast members answered questions from Okada that came with the message. Kuno was asked if there was any similarity between himself and Gomi, who is a bundle of vitality. He is a character with a strong wild side, so I think there is some overlap in that area. Enoki also responded to Kuno's question. Enoki agreed with Kuno, saying, "I sense a wildness in him. The venue was filled with a friendly atmosphere when the three of them shared a friendly episode.

Ueda was asked if she has any habits or peculiarities that other people don't understand, given that Mutsumi is a complicated girl who is not easy to get along with. ... it might be the last time... thank you! I can't leave the house unless I think to myself, 'I may never see them again.

Enoki quipped, "I think the cat is confused, too. Kuno was in agreement with Enoki's comment. Director Okada said that the moment he heard Enoki's audition tape, he thought, "I found Masamune! Okada said that the moment he heard Enoki's audition tape, he thought to himself, "I found Masamune! When asked what direction he took when recording the tape, Enoki replied, "I didn't have much information about the work at the time of the audition, but I was told to make it realistic. I was told that I could do it realistically, so I said, 'Well, let's bring out the worldview I like! I was given the green light to do it realistically. I did it with the feeling that it was okay if I couldn't understand the lines, and Okada-san was very complimentary. I was like, "Okay, I got it! I got it! I thought, 'I got it!

In the middle of the event, the latest teaser visual and a special video were unveiled. When the visual, which featured a mysterious-looking girl holding her hand in the sunlight, was projected on the screen, everyone exclaimed in unison, "Cool! and "Cool! The special feature film showed sad expressions on the faces of boys and girls struggling in a world where change is considered evil and even "falling in love" is not allowed, and the voice of a girl crying out was relentlessly heartbreaking. The audience seemed to be drawn into the film despite the mere 30 seconds of footage.

The novel based on the film, which Okada wrote for the first time in 10 years, will be released by Kadokawa Bunko, and will be available at bookstores and e-bookstores nationwide from June 13 (Fri.).

Finally, Kuno said, "This is MAPPA's first original theatrical animation, and the staff, including Director Okada, have been working hard to make this work a reality, so I hope as many people as possible will see it. I also put everything I had into the recording, so I hope you enjoy it. Ueda: "This work makes me think that love is really nice. As we grow older, we don't have as many times for our hearts to move violently like love. But when I came in contact with these characters, I realized that there is such an overflowing and unceasing love, and I was reminded of how wonderful love is. The passion of everyone can be felt through the film." Enoki: "This is a work that Director Okada put 100% attention to. I have never been so tired during postrecording. It is a work that contains that much energy. When you see it in the theater, I think you will be stunned after watching it. I hope you will look forward to the release of the film.

Mari Okada's latest film, "Alice and Telles' Maboroshi Factory," will be released in theaters nationwide on September 15 (Fri.).

Full text of Director Mari Okada's message
Alice and Telles' Maboroshi Factory" is a work that is slowly beginning to take shape thanks to the passion of the many staff members who have been involved in its creation.
One of the reasons for making this work was to try to create the atmosphere of the Japanese films and theater animation that I admired as a child, but with a modern grammar. I believe that the images have become somewhat nostalgic, yet at the same time a little bit new to me, just as the ideal I had in mind.
The boys are the main characters in this film, but it is a tingling depiction of adolescence that runs counter to the sweet and sour adolescent stories. The entire staff will do our best to ensure that everyone enjoys the film. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

The report and comments are in Japanese only.

Film Information

Alice and Telles' Maboroshi Factory
Release Date: September 15 (Fri.) in theaters nationwide
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures MAPPA

Original Story/Screenplay/Director：Mari Okada
Assistant Director: Teishi Hiramatsu
Character Design：Yuriko Ishii
Art Director：Kazuo Tochi
Music: Katsu Yokoyama
Production: MAPPA
Cast: Junya Enoki, Rena Ueda, Misaki Kuno
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures MAPPA
Official website: #

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