I'm happy to be able to make the latest City Hunter with the most exciting voice actors of the moment" - "City Hunter the Movie: Tears of an Angel" commemorates the blockbuster hit! Interview with Akira Kamiya (Saeba) and Kazue Ikura (Makiura)

The title of the latest in the series is "City Hunter the Movie: Angel Dust". Angel Dust is a dark technology that appears in the film, in which nanomachines are injected into the body to enhance physical performance and turn the injected person into a superhuman soldier. The film depicts the relationship between Saeba and Genshin Impact, who raised him as a warrior, and his battle against the most powerful enemy.

We spoke with Akira Kamiya, who plays the role of Akira Saeba, and Kazue Ikura, who plays the role of Kaoru Makimura, about "City Hunter the Movie: Angel Dust," a film that will make not only fans but anyone who knows the character of Akira Saeba want to know what happens to him.

Please also check out this page!
⇒ Original T-shirts will be given away! In commemoration of the release of "City Hunter the Movie: Tears of an Angel (Angel Dust)", we interviewed the general director, Kanetsugu Kodama! Interview with General Director Kanetsugu Kodama

Angie is a role that only Sawashiro Miyuki could play

───Can you tell us how you felt when you heard that "City Hunter the Movie: Tears of an Angel (Angel Dust)" was going to be produced?

Kamiya I was very happy. At my age, I am also losing my physical strength, so I thought it would be better to work on it sooner rather than later, but when I think about it, four years seemed like a good time. That said, the earlier the better, and I was happy because I had been waiting for it so long (laughs).

Ikura I was really happy too. I felt a bit like giving up on the previous "City Hunter the Movie: Shinjuku Private Eyes". That's because nothing happened on the 30th anniversary of the anime.

Kamiya Actually, we were talking about doing something around the 30th anniversary. Kamiya Actually, we were talking about whether we would do something around the 30th anniversary.

Ikura We said, "Isn't something coming? I was happy to hear that they were going to do a theater version at the timing of the 32nd anniversary, but I was also concerned about whether I would be able to handle it. I was happy, but I was also worried about whether I would be able to handle it. But when the film was actually released, there were people who saw it over and over again, and the number of viewers exceeded 1 million, and the film was shown for a long period of time.

Kamiya That's right. But then I didn't hear from you for more than three years, so I thought, "What? I wondered what was going on (laughs).

Ikura: During that time, there was Corona, too. But this new work was decided around the time Corona was over, and the previous work was just before Corona, so I thought "City Hunter" was really lucky, that it was a work of possession.

Kamiya In that sense, you might be lucky.

Kamiya - The catchphrase for this movie is "Into the final battle with the strongest enemy..." What did you think when you read the scenario?

Kamiya Needless to say, the story was interesting. The action scenes were described in words, and I wondered if it would be possible to visualize them. But when I looked at the video we were given for the voice recording, I saw that it had been done correctly. I thought, "This is amazing! I thought, "This is amazing! I felt that the artists had put in a lot of effort. By the way, the scenario by Yasuyuki Muto was very interesting. However, I thought that the guests' acting skills are very demanding. ......

Ikura: The script is interesting. The last one had a "long time no see" feel to it, but this time the script depicted a case, and it was an interesting drama. But as Kamiya-san said, I thought the guest heroine, Angie, was a tough role. She was an enigmatic character, and I had to play her from soft to hard.

─ ─ It is true that it was a complex role, and the character required acting in all directions.

Ikura: Basically, most of the guests in theatrical films are played by celebrities, and Marie Iide, who played the role in the previous film, was a really good animated actress, but I thought that Angie was a different kind of difficult character.

─ Does that mean that you need the skills and experience unique to anime?

Ikura That's right. I was worried that it would be difficult for voice actors because they have to read the script, take into account what the director says, and act with a great deal of imagination. I knew that Miyuki would be able to handle it. I was happy to be able to work with her because I respect her so much that I wanted to learn from her.

─ I heard that you recorded the scene together?

Ikura Yes. I was so happy and excited (laughs).

Kamiya I could tell from working with him that he was acting with a logical understanding of the role. I was already acting as I felt Saeba Akira, but she had created the role logically, and if there was a question, she would talk with the director and come up with an answer. It seemed like a lot of work, but I thought she did a great job.

Ikura I can't go into too much detail at this stage, but I feel like it was Miyuki who made it possible.

Kamiya Not only Miyuki Sawashiro, but also Tomokazu Seki as Pirarucu and Subaru Kimura as Espada. And even more so, Keno Horiuchi played the role of Kai Genshin Impact. I think everyone gave a really good performance. Except for Mr. Keno, all the other actors were from the generation that watched the TV anime, so I was happy that they were so happy to be in the show.

Ikuura: Chiichi (Tomokazu Seki) even got Kamiya-san's autograph. He said, "You're the one who's doing it well enough, aren't you? (laughs).

Kamiya I was happy to be able to work on the latest "City Hunter" with the voice actors of today, and I have nothing more to say about the finished product.

Mr. Ikura was just like incense itself!

─ ─ The subtitle of this film is "Angel Dust," and I think this is one of the biggest themes in "City Hunter. How would you explain this to new viewers, for example?

Kamiya I think that if you watch the film, you will understand the explanation. For those who know the original work, Angel Dust is the name of the film, and Genshin Impact comes out. I think this is what you have been waiting for. And they do it very well!　I thought, "Damn it, just by hearing one word! I thought, "Damn!

The script is really well written, and I think it is a work that both those who are unfamiliar with "City Hunter" and those who have been supporting the series for a long time can fully enjoy. Angel Dust is a key point, but the way it is carried out leading up to that point is so good that you can just surrender to the story and enjoy it.

─ ─ As for Genshin Impact, the catchphrase "To the final battle with the strongest enemy..." seems to fit the story perfectly, doesn't it?

Kamiya In the advertisement, it also says "The Final Chapter Begins. When you look at the film, that's what it says. That makes me very happy, but considering my age, I wondered what would happen in four years' time, and I thought, "What? I thought, "What? But Masako Nozawa is still working on "Dragon Ball" at that age.

Ikura She said she could do that voice even in the middle of the night (laughs).

Kamiya That's why we can't say anything about our age. But even though the final chapter is about to begin, this work has been properly completed and finished, so I hope the film will be exciting.

Ikura As for Kaoru, I didn't know much about his relationship with Kaibara and Noboru, so it was like watching a new Noboru, though.

Kamiya What was interesting was that Keno said that he thought Kaihara was in the TV anime and when he looked back at it, he didn't see him no matter how long it took. I think you have to read the original work to understand the character of Kaibara. But it was really Kaibara.

Ikura: Since a bit of Shin's past is depicted here, it makes me curious about the pasts of other characters. That's exactly the case with Kaibo and Aniki (Hideyuki Makimura). So I thought, "I have to do my best to live long! I thought.

─ ─ In the movie, the streets of Shinjuku are similar to the present day, not to the time of the TV series, as in the previous movie. The animation technology has also improved, so the action scenes were overwhelming at times.

Kamiya The first thing that surprised me was the props. I was amazed to see how much more so with the matching apps! (laughs). (Laughs.) That kind of thing is keeping up with the times, isn't it? (Laughs) I was very happy to see that the work was made to match the times.

Ikura: Besides, the characters would be easily accepted even if they were set in today's Shinjuku. I get the feeling that he would be right at home there.

Kamiya Also, the car action is really realistic and powerful because of the use of 3DCG. The backgrounds are also much prettier than in the past. In that sense, I felt that things have changed.

Ikura: The sense of speed and the feeling of light flowing through the film.

─ ─ On the other hand, there were also good things that did not change.

Kamiya What has not changed is that the traps in the house that were destroyed so badly are quickly restored to their original state.

No matter what the traps are hit with a hammer, they always return to their original state in the next scene, which is something that can only be seen in old anime.

Kamiya That's right. Before you know it, the room has been restored, and the face is unscathed (laughs). (laughs) There were certain promises that could only be made in animation, and I think that is the beauty of animation. If not, we could have done it in live-action.

─ ─ I thought that the charms of Saeba Akane and Maki Murakami really came out in this movie. Could you tell us again what the attraction is?

Kamiya The visual image of Akira is that he is strong and gentle. But not only that, he is funny, lecherous and stupid. Various elements are coming out in one person more and more, and in the story, Tsukasa Hojo, the author of the original story, has created a world where these elements do not feel out of place. Even if you think, "I wouldn't sound like this if it were true," you can accept it. I think he is an ideal character because he has a very broad capacity. But he also makes the right decisions, which makes him a lot of fun to work with.

─ ─ What I thought when I watched the film this time was that Shang is not blurred, and although there are only superhumans around him, he always perceives and talks about things in a normal way. I thought that was attractive.

Ikura: Is she unwavering or doesn't she understand (laughs)? The people around him are tense and react to what is happening, but Shang himself is not aware of it. When I fight, I don't have any skills, nor am I a sniper. He is just lucky! Like that (laughs).

Kamiya I often think, why don't you use a 100-ton hammer when you fight? Then he would be invincible, but he doesn't appear in those scenes (laughs). But incense is attractive. She is cute, beautiful, fragile, and strong. Kyo has many charms, but I think Kyo is also a character that has many charms as a woman.

Ikura: One of the things that makes it easy for me to play the role of Shang is that she is an ordinary girl with nothing going on. She is not a superhuman, so she worries about ordinary things and wonders what to do about ordinary things. And yet, I am surrounded by people I feel comfortable with, so I envy them.

Kamiya That's true. Even in battle scenes, you are so normal. You shouldn't scream there! Even in places where you'd think, "You shouldn't scream in that scene! She is a truly fascinating character, and I am grateful to Hojo-sensei for that (laughs).

─ ─ Finally, I can't help but mention the music by TM NETWORK, whose ED theme was "Get Wild" in this work as well.

Kamiya TM NETWORK's music is wonderful!　The video we were given before the recording included several songs, and "Get Wild" was played at the end, and it almost made me cry (laughs). It's a really good song, isn't it? And after I finished recording with Mr. Ikura, he told me that he had just received the song and played it for me during the climax of the play. Mr. Komuro is so sneaky!　The song was so perfect for the piece that I was like, "How much more do I have to make you cry? So this time, the story, the pictures, the music, and our voices are all good, and I hope you will come to the theater and enjoy it. That said, I do have a bit of apprehension (laughs).

Ikura Yes, yes. I have a feeling that "Are you going to be okay? I am a little bit anxious because we haven't seen the finished product yet. I am anxious because we have not seen the finished product yet. Kamiya I know you are saying that, but it's not okay at all.

Kamiya You say that, but I am totally fine (laughs). (Laughs.) Four years have passed since the last time the regular voice actors performed, and I'm sure everyone was anxious, but everyone has become more powerful than last time. Of all of them, the one who had improved the most was Ms. Ikura, who was just like Kaoru, and she was really cute.

(Reporting, writing, and photography by Junichi Tsukagoshi)

Film Information
City Hunter the Movie: Angel Dust
<Release information>
September 8, 2023 (Fri.) in theaters nationwide

<Cast
Saeba Akira: Akira Kamiya
Kaori Makiura: Kazue Ikura
Hideyuki Maki-mura: Hideyuki Tanaka
Saeko Nogami: Shunsui Ichiryusai
Kaiba: Tetsuaki Genda
Miki: Maomi Koyama
Hitomi Raiu: Keiko Toda
Risei Incapacitating: Rika Fukami
Ai Raisei: Chinatsu Sakamoto
Pirarucu: Tomokazu Seki
Espada: Subaru Kimura
Angie: Sawashiro Miyuki
Kaihara God: Horiuchi Keno

<Staff
Original Story : Tsukasa Hojo
General Director : Kanetsugu Kodama
Director : Kazuyoshi Takeuchi
Screenplay：Yasuyuki Muto
Character Design：Kumiko Takahashi Seigo Kitazawa
Art Director：Junichi Taniguchi
Color Design：Shiho Kuryoku
CG Director: Takuji Gotoh
Director of Photography: Shinji Saito
Editing: Daisuke Imai
Music: Taku Iwasaki
Sound Director: Yukio Nagasaki
Sound Production: AUDIO PLANNING U
Theme Song Artist: TM NETWORK
Opening Theme "Whatever Comes"
Ending Theme "Get Wild
Production: SUNRISE ANSWER STUDIO
Distributor: Aniplex

<Introduction
--The battle that cannot be escaped is about to begin.
City Hunter" serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" by Tsukasa Hojo has sold more than 50 million copies in total. An animated TV series and theater version have been produced.
In 2023, the long-awaited latest animated film version will be released!
The story, set in present-day Tokyo, continues the story of the previous film, and gets to the heart of Saeba Akira's past and the death of his partner Hideyuki Makimura.
The key visual depicts a wounded Akira, depicted by Tsukasa Hojo, and what is beyond his gaze?
Akira Kamiya plays the main character, Akira Saeba. The original cast is once again assembled, with Kazue Ikura as Kaoru Makiura, Harusui Ichiryusai (Yoko Asagami) as Saeko Nogami, Tetsuaki Genda as Uminbo, and Mami Koyama as Miki.
Sunrise, which has produced the "City Hunter" animated series, is teaming up with Answer Studio for production. Continuing from the previous work, Kanetsugu Kodama (the first director of the "City Hunter" and "Detective Conan" series) will serve as general director, and Yasuyuki Muto (screenwriter of "Mobile Suit Gundam: Senko no Hathaway" and series writer of "Tokyo Revengers") will write the script.
The closing theme, the indispensable "Get Wild" by TM NETWORK, will echo through the theaters!
This is a story that approaches the origin of Akira Saeba. What lies beyond the memories, is it love or hatred?
What does "Angel Dust" mean?

<WEB
Official website: #
Official X : #

(c)Tsukasa Hojo/Coamix, "City Hunter 2023 the Movie" Production Committee