From the director of the Thermae Romae series comes the greatest farce in the history of Japanese film. Based on the original Saitama dissing manga, the movie Tonde Saitama, which delivers shocking lines like “How disgusting! Just saying Saitama alone turns my mouth into Saitama!” and “Whaat? You want to go to Mitsukoshi? Don’t get fresh with me!” will be releasing in cinemas on Friday, 22 February 2019. This work, which became a huge sensation online, will be introduced by Chikyuu no Arukikata News & Report editors who, like author Maya Mineo, were born and raised in Tokorozawa, Saitama.

Tonde Saitama’s story

【Outline】
Once upon a time, the people of Saitama were severely discriminated against by Tokyo citizens, and if they did not have a waybill to travel in and out of Tokyo, they would be deported―― The shocking comic Tonde Saitama (incomplete), that unleashes an overwhelming impact with thorough disses against Saitama, gets a complete revival on screen!!

From the “master of laughter and emotions”, Director Takeuchi Hideki, who is known for the Thermae Romae series and the Nodame Cantabile series, comes an excessively scaled up “story of love and revolution” that includes the original「Saitama oppressed by Tokyo」story’s huge spectacle that involves the Kanto region’s “Saitama’s rival, Chiba”, “idle spectator Kanagawa”, “unexplored frontier, Gunma”, and Ibaraki, Tochigi, and more!

One must not assume that this is a variety movie because of the Saitama dissing. The truth is that this is an entertainment spectacular that magnificently and dead seriously appeals to regional loyalty!

■Tonde Saitama
©2019 映画「翔んで埼玉」製作委員会
Release date: 22 Feb 2019 (Fri)
Official Site: tondesaitama.com
【Cast】
Nikaido Fumi GACKT Iseya Yuusuke Kyomoto Masaki

【Staff】
Director: Takeuchi Hideki
Author: Maya Mineo「Kono Manga ga Sugoi! comics Tonde Saitama」(Takarajimasha)
Script: Tokunaga Yuuichi
Music: Face 2 fAKE
Theme song: Hanawa「Saitama no Uta」（Victor Entertainment）

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDFA1uZ8Fc8

This is a comment from the author, Maya Mineo.

This is a work from 30 years ago.
I was living in Saitama’s Tokorozawa city at the time and idyllically surrounded by crystal blue skies and the sweeping green Negi fields, but when I thought, I’m actually heading to Tokyo…… it was somehow frustrating. It’s a nice place, Tokorozawa.

However, back then, I was burning with ambition, and I wanted to make a name for myself, so I found it far too relaxing for me, and actually found myself dissatisfied. I didn’t especially speak to anyone about it, but I kept feeling in my skin that people around me who lived in Tokorozawa and the people of Saitama felt the same too.

It was as if I noticed that I could feel this almost imperceptible basso continuo in everyone’s hearts, like saying that they weren’t upset with their current lives, but if only they could upgrade it by just a little. In a way, from the self-deprecating voices in the hearts of the people of Saitama back then that I felt keen, I drew this Tonde Saitama.
It’s not about whether it’s interesting or not, but I suppose we can call it the voice of the heart that has exploded from daily pent-up emotions. Looking at it now, it’s an absurd piece of work, but I believe that I directly threw my honest feelings into it back then.

Then again, why now?
As a matter of fact, it seemed that I, myself, was the most surprised person in this situation.
Furthermore, adapting it into a movie this time, I’m both grateful yet fearful.
The last thing I would like to say is, “Are you sure?”.

Saitama Prefecture actually highly ranked among preferred cities to live in

It’s not a metropolitan area like Omiya (in Saitama), nor a scenic area like Chichibu (in Saitama), but somehow, the half-hearted, always-a-commuter-town-no-matter-what Tokorozawa that made born-and-raised-in-Tokorozawa author Maya Mineo-san’s mind explode (Note: Writer of this article was born and raised in Tokorozawa too). The theatrical version of this work, Tonde Saitama, will release on Friday, 22 February 2019.

Source: arukikata.co.jp

Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team

Translation © GACKT ITALIA