The highly anticipated anime film, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to be Loved (Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon: Samishigariya no Ryū), has recently unveiled its non-credit opening sequence, expanded its voice cast, and released a new collaboration visual. The film premiered in Japan on Friday, June 27, in 199 theaters, including immersive 4DX and MX4D screenings. Crunchyroll has secured the worldwide theatrical rights for the film, excluding Asia, and plans to screen it in North America in Japanese with English subtitles.
Non-Credit Opening Revealed
Fans can now enjoy the non-credit opening sequence of the film, which features the theme song “Namida no Parade” (Parade of Tears) performed by the Japanese pop-rock band fhána. fhána has a long-standing connection with the Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid anime, having provided theme songs since the first television series in 2017. The song is described as an “endlessly enjoyable and sad song with a gorgeous brass sound,” echoing the style of previous opening themes like “Aozora no Rhapsody” and “Ai no Supreme!”.
Expanded Voice Cast
The film introduces several new and notable additions to its voice cast, alongside a largely returning ensemble. New cast members include Fumihiko Tachiki as Kimun Kamui and Nobunaga Shimazaki as Azad. Shinya Takahashi and Azusa Tadokoro also join the cast, lending their voices to fairies.
A significant casting note is Shiori Sugiura taking over the role of Ilulu, replacing Tomomi Mineuchi, who retired from voice acting in 2022. Additionally, veteran enka singer Sachiko Kobayashi, widely recognized in the otaku community for her diverse work and previous collaborations with the Dragon Maid franchise, joins the cast as Felicitas, a dragon in Kimun Kamui’s army. Kobayashi also performs the film’s ending theme song, “Bokutachi no Hibi” (“Days of Us”).
The returning main voice cast includes:
- Mutsumi Tamura as Miss Kobayashi
- Yuki Kuwahara as Tohru
- Maria Naganawa as Kanna Kamui
- Yuki Takada as Elma
- Minami Takahashi as Lucoa
- Daisuke Ono as Fafnir
- Yuichi Nakamura as Makoto Takiya
- Emiri Kato as Riko Saikawa
- Kaori Ishihara as Shota Magatsuchi
New Visual Unveiled
To celebrate the film’s theatrical release, a special collaboration visual was unveiled, co-drawn by Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid original manga author Coolkyoushinja and the anime’s character designer Miku Kadowaki. The visual features beloved characters Kanna, Kobayashi, Tohru, and Ilulu, drawn by Coolkyoushinja, alongside Kimun Kamui and Azad, drawn by Kadowaki, depicted in a confrontational pose hinting at an impending battle.
Film Production and Synopsis
The film, directed by Tatsuya Ishihara from Kyoto Animation, picks up directly after the events of the anime’s second season. Yuka Yamada penned the script, while Miku Kadowaki handled character designs and served as chief animation director. The late Yasuhiro Takemoto, who directed the first season, is credited as series director posthumously.
The plot centers on Kanna Kamui, whose peaceful life with Miss Kobayashi and the other dragons is disrupted by the arrival of her father, Kamun Kamui, the leader of the Chaos Forces. He demands Kanna’s return to the Dragon World to rectify a past mistake, leading to a brewing conflict between the Chaos and Harmony factions. Kanna finds herself torn between her loyalty to her friends and her father’s demands, while Miss Kobayashi endeavors to mend the strained relationship between Kanna and Kamui. Amidst clashing dragons, Ilulu uncovers a hidden force manipulating the war, setting the stage for a critical effort to prevent both worlds from being consumed by conflict.
The film’s runtime is 105 minutes, or 1 hour and 45 minutes.
