It has been revealed that Misato Matsuoka will play Ashibe and Kamitsuki Yuria will play Goma-chan in the TV anime "Ashibe: Grade 3 QQ Goma-chan," based on the latest installment of Morishita Hiromi's popular manga series "Shounen Ashibe." In addition to Ashibe and Goma-chan, key visuals featuring the Ashiya family and Ashibe's friends Sugao, Yuuma, Sakata, Mao, and Yumiko have also been released. The short anime will begin airing in April.
Matsuoka, who also made headlines for playing Sakura Uta, a character who transforms into a Cure Idol in "You and Idol Pretty Cure," commented, "When I was chosen to appear, I was so surprised and felt like, 'Am I really sure I want to play Ashibe?' But now I'm filled with so much joy and excitement, and I'm having so much fun every day! It's a very soothing work, and there are scenes that will make you chuckle as well as burst out laughing, so it's a really entertaining work. There are also some parts that will make you gasp, so it's packed with so many elements. I hope you'll watch it a lot!"
Kamitsuki, who is also known for her role as Ponyo in "Ponyo on the Cliff," said, "When I was chosen to appear, it was like a dream that I was even able to audition, so I thought, 'I should be grateful just to have been accepted.' So I was really surprised, like, 'Goma-chan!?' (laughs). From the time I was chosen until recording began, I was so happy that there were times when I kept asking myself, 'Is it really Goma-chan? Is it really Goma-chan?' The main story of this version of 3rd Grade Ashibe QQ Goma-chan is only about 2-3 minutes long, but after watching it, you will feel so satisfied that you will think you have watched a whole movie! It is an anime packed with content. I hope everyone will watch it a lot, laugh a lot, and be healed a lot!"
"Shounen Ashibe" is a manga that depicts the daily life of a baby spotted seal named Goma-chan and his owner, a young boy named Ashiya Ashibe. The first volume of "Shounen Ashibe" began serialization in 1988 in "Weekly Young Jump" (Shueisha).
"Ashibe QQ Goma-chan, Grade 3" is a manga that has been serialized in "Manga Action" (Futabasha) since March 2020. It features Ashibe Ashiya, now in his third year of elementary school, along with Sugao and his friends, and Goma-chan. The anime will be produced by DLE, the studio behind "Secret Society Eagle Talon" and "Nohara Hiroshi Hirumeshi no Ryugi."
◇Staff (titles omitted)
Director, Character Design: Kotaro Yamawaki ▽ Music: Kyohei Matsuno ▽ Sound Director: Kazuki Kuwabara ▽ Art Director: Mayu Murayama ▽ Producer: Ayumi Kanno ▽ Animation Production: DLE ▽ Production: Ko3 Ashibe QQ Goma-chan Production Committee
