Four anime films from Makoto Shinkai, the director behind 2016's Your Name, will soon be available in North America thanks to film distributor GKIDS.
According to the company's official Twitter account, it has acquired the rights to 2002's Voices of a Distant Star, 2004's The Place Promised in Our Early Days, 2007's 5 Centimeters per Second and 2011's Children Who Chase Lost Voices. All four titles "will be heading to home entertainment platforms later this year in both their original Japanese w/ English subtitles and English dub versions."
GKIDS is proud to announce the acquisition of North American rights to four titles from visionary director Makoto Shinkai. This slate includes VOICES OF A DISTANT STAR, THE PLACE PROMISED IN OUR EARLY DAYS, 5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND, and CHILDREN WHO CHASE LOST VOICES. pic.twitter.com/aMx8mszPw9
— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) March 10, 2022
Voices of a Distant Star tells the story of two close childhood friends who are separated when one of them is sent deep into space to fight in a war against aliens. The film stars Chihiro Suzuki (Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS) and Sumi Mutoh (xxxHOLIC) in the original Japanese version and Adam Conlon (Princess Tutu) and Cynthia Martinez (Girls und Panzer) in the English dubbed version.
Set after World War II in an alternate history where the Soviet Union rules over half of Japan, The Place Promised in Our Early Days follows two friends who grow distant after another friend disappears. However, they meet again years later and realize their missing friend may be the key to saving their country and the entire world. The Japanese cast includes Kazuhiko Inoue (Attack on Titan) and Yūka Nanri (Space Dandy), and the English cast includes Chris Patton (Haikyu!!) and Jessica Boone (Vinland Saga).
5 Centimeters per Second follows a boy named Takaki Tōno through three memorable points in his young life, focusing on his relationships with the girls around him. Kenji Mizuhashi (The Way of the Househusband) and Satomi Hanamura (Beyblade Burst) feature in the Japanese version of the film and Johnny Yong Bosch (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) and Tara Platt (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations) appear in the English version.
Children Who Chase Lost Voices tells the story of Asuna Watase, a spirited but isolated young girl who is forced to grow up quickly after her father dies. One day she meets a mysterious boy named Shun, who says he is from Agartha, the land of the dead. The original Japanese version of the film stars Hisako Kanemoto (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation) as Asuna and Miyu Irino (Platinum End) as Shun. The characters are respectively played by Hilary Haag (Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma) and Corey Hartzog (Akame ga Kill) in the English dub.
As of writing, the official dates for GKIDS North American release of these movies are unknown.
Source: Twitter
