On January 17th, 2024, the official website for the upcoming two-part anime film adaptation of Inio Asano’s manga “Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction” revealed a new trailer. This trailer previewed the theme songs for each film, performed by the lead voice actors portraying the main characters.
The performer Ano collaborated with Lilas Ikuta from the band YOASOBI to create the theme song “ZeZeZeZettaiteki Seiiki” for the first film. Additionally, Lilas Ikuta teamed up with Ano to perform the song “Seishun Ouka,” which will serve as the theme for the second film.
The unique pairing of these talents hints at an innovative approach to the music direction. Their contributions aim to complement the psychological drama and sci-fi elements of Asano’s original story.
The ambitious project will be released in two parts – the first film arrives in theaters on March 22nd, 2024, followed by the second installment on April 19th of the same year. This structure allows more run-time to cover the expansive source material.
A Stellar Cast Bringing Asano Inio’s World to Life
Leading the cast is musician Lilas Ikuta from the viral pop duo YOASOBI, voicing protagonist Kadode Koyama. Joining her is the mysterious artist known simply as Ano, who will portray Kadode’s best friend Ouran Nakagawa.
Additional main roles go to seasoned voice actresses Atsumi Tanezaki as the aloof Kiho Kurihara and Miyuri Shimabukuro as the eccentric Ai Demoto. Veteran seiyuu like Saeko Ooki, Azumi Waki, and Ryoko Shiraishi round out the core friend group as Rin Hirama, Futaba Takemoto, and teacher Makoto Tainuma respectively.
Also featured are Miyu Irino as scheming student council member Keita Oba and Kouki Uchiyama as delinquent Kenichi Kohiruimaki. Suspense builds through morally ambiguous characters like Taito Ban’s Naoki Watarase and the ominous Hiroshi Nakagawa, voiced by Junichi Suwabe.
Finally, the parents are brought to life by Kenjiro Tsuda as Kadode’s blunt father Nobuo Koyama, and an unnamed actress as Ouran’s mother Sachi Nakagawa.
With a mix of big names and buzzworthy rising talent, the eclectic cast promises memorable performances that will immerse viewers in Asano’s thought-provoking world.
Crafting Inio Asano’s Vision for the Big Screen
Leading the ambitious directorial duties is Tomoyuki Kurokawa, known for his work on anime favorites such as One Punch Man and Aggretsuko. He will aim to capture the unique tone and pacing of Inio Asano’s original manga.
Helping guide the translation to the screen is seasoned screenwriter Reiko Yoshida, who brings experience from popular series like Tokyo Mew Mew and Violet Evergarden. Her scripts will need to condense Asano’s sprawling story into two impactful films.
Visual flair comes from character designer and chief animation director Nobutake Ito, a rising talent with credits on Girls’ Last Tour and the recent adaptation of Chainsaw Man. His stylish touch will be brought to life through the vivid backgrounds of acclaimed art director Mika Nishimura.
Finally, setting the musical atmosphere is internationally-renowned composer Taro Umebayashi, who has scored live-action films like Howl’s Moving Castle and 2046. His varied expertise should produce a soundtrack equal parts haunting, tender, and surreal.
With Kurokawa’s steadfast direction and a highly skilled creative team supporting him, the promise of a one-of-a-kind anime cinematic experience comes into clear focus.
Anticipation Builds for the First-Ever Anime Adaptation of Inio Asano’s Masterpiece
The production company in charge of adapting Inio Asano’s acclaimed manga “Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction” into these highly anticipated anime films is Production +h. This studio is best known for recent hits like Attack on Titan: The Final Season and the gritty crime series 91 Days.
Interestingly, despite Asano’s stellar reputation as a manga creator, this will mark the first-ever anime adaptation of any of his works. So anticipation is high among fans who have been moved by his other unforgettable stories like Goodnight Punpun and Solanin.
Originally running from 2014 to 2022 in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Spirits magazine, Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction swiftly became a commercial and critical success. By March 2022, circulation had exceeded 3 million copies just in Japan.
In addition, the surreal sci-fi drama earned Asano high honors like the prestigious 66th Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga in 2021 and the Excellence Prize at the 25th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2022.
With this pedigree and Production +h.’s impeccable track record, hopes are sky-high for an anime retelling that will capture the spirit of the cherished source material while exposing it to wider international audiences.
