Animated movie coming out City Hunter: Angel Dust will not only feature the eponymous sweeper Ryo Saeba but will also feature some surprise guests. Guest appearances include anime characters from other popular series, as well as vocal performances by Japanese celebrities. With guest stars like these, Sunrise seems intent on attracting people to watch City Hunter in time for the original anime’s 35th anniversary.
The film is a sequel to 2019’s City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes, which featured a surprise appearance by the Kisugi sisters from the anime Cat’s Eye, another creation of City Hunter writer Tsukasa Hojo. However, Angel Dust appears to be beefing up its strategy with even more familiar faces and voices.
Ryo Saeba Will Share Screen With Lupine III & Tama the Cat
In addition to the return of the main characters from Cat’s Eye, Anime News Network confirmed Angel Dust will star as Lupine III and his partner Daisuke Jigen. Additionally, a character in another scene uses a tablet displaying Tama from the Tama and Friends series. Anime characters aren’t the only cameos to appear either, as the film also features celebrities such as comedian Ryota Yamasato of the duo Nankai Candies and Sekai of the band “FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE.” all take on character roles in the anime.
City Hunter, about the gun-wielding adventures of Ryo Saeba and Kaori Makimura, was first published in 1985 and has received television series adaptations, numerous OVAs, and films. Shinjuku Private Eyes marks the successful revival of Sunrise after a 29-year hiatus, so it’s no surprise that the latest film’s sequel was approved so quickly. What helps is that the first film clearly respected the IP, choosing to retain the aesthetics and even the music of the old anime while giving it the shine that the film’s budget had.
Although details are still scarce at the moment, the title and cast list of the film suggest that the film will delve deeper into Ryo Saeba’s past than the other adaptations. The Angel Dust potion deals deeply with the sweeper’s history and how he became the gunman he is today; Shin Kaibara’s character is also Ryo’s arch-nemesis, so his appearance in the film is not a small detail. City Hunter: Angel Dust hits Japanese theaters on September 8, 2023, with screenings in the US, UK and Ireland set to take place in 2024; The original anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Source: Anime News Network