“Journey: A Tale of Miracles and Battles on the Ancient Arabian Peninsula", an anime film co-produced by Saudi Manga Production and Toei Animation, will be released in Japan on June 25, 2021. We have received an interview with Furuya Tooru, who plays the main character Aws. “Journey: A Tale of Miracles and Battles on the Ancient Arabian Peninsula" is a story set on the ancient Arabian Peninsula, where the main character Aws and the people of Mecca stand up against the invader Abraha. It is an entertaining film full of human drama and action, depicting how they carve out their future with the power of faith in themselves and their friends. Furuya-san, who played the main character Aws, commented, "I was very surprised to learn that this film was a Saudi-Japanese co-production, and I thought it was proof that Japanese animation is loved all over the world. The fact that this film came to fruition was an emotional event for me”. When Furuya-san, who is also known for his roles as Amuro Rei in "Mobile Suit Gundam" and Amuro Tooru in "Detective Conan", was asked about the similarities between the heroes he has played and Aws, replied, "There are not many characters who are capable and overwhelmingly strong from the start. They face difficulties by summoning up the courage in their hearts, and by adding some power to it, they are able to defeat powerful enemies. In the end, it is the strength of the heart that matters. That's what Aws has in common with the heroes I have played," he said. Furuya-san also said that when he played Aws, he was conscious of "not being too strong and wanting to be like a normal human being”. He also mentioned "the scene where I apply the eye shadow that Hind gave me" was a memorable scene and said, "This movie has many moving scenes including the climax. “Journey: A Tale of Miracles and Battles on the Ancient Arabian Peninsula" will open on June 25 at Shinjuku Wald 9 in Tokyo and Umeda Burg 7 in Osaka. [Furuya Tooru] --What was your impression when you found out that the film was a collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Japan? I was very surprised, and I thought it was a proof that Japanese animation is loved all over the world. The fact that this film came to fruition itself was a very moving event for me. Moreover, I was very honored to be able to play the main character of such a work that will remain in the history of anime. --What kind of character did you think Aws was? I thought that he was a character with a lot of depth, because he has a sinful past and has lived a turbulent life. --Is there anything in common between the heroes you've played and AWs? Many of the heroes I've played don't start out as highly capable and overwhelmingly strong. They face difficulties by summoning the courage in their hearts, and when some power is added to that, they are able to defeat powerful enemies. In the end, it is the strength of the heart that matters. That's what Aws has in common with the heroes I have played. --Is there anything you were conscious of when you were playing Aws? I wanted him to be a normal person, not too strong, but someone who can show his power because he has beliefs in his heart. I was conscious of the fact that no matter how many times he is defeated, he never gives up and gets back up. This is the scene that I thought was the coolest as a man, so I wanted to play it carefully. --Is there a scene that left a deep impression on you? The scene where he applies the eyeshadow that Hind gave him. When Aws shows his determination in this way, it inspires his allies to fight. It was very moving because I could feel the bond between him and Hind. This movie has many moving scenes, including the climax. --What kind of attitude do you have toward the character you are playing? First of all, it is important to truly understand the film and the role. After reading the script and understanding the world view, the character's position and feelings, I write them down in detail in the margins of the script and put them in my mind. The next step is to practice on my own while watching the video and try to move my body and voice a little like the character on the screen. The more I move, the more the nuances of the dialogue will change from when I say it standing up, and the more realistic it will become. After simulating my role in this way, I try to trust the sensitivity that arises in my heart and play the role on stage. “Journey: A Tale of Miracles and Battles on the Ancient Arabian Peninsula” (C) 2021 Manga Productions

July 31 is Furuya Toru-san's birthday. He has been active at the forefront up until now from the mid of the 1960s. He won the Kei Tomiyama Memorial Award at the 2nd Seiyu Awards, the Synergy Award at the 4th, and was chosen as the Best Actor in Supporting Roles at the 13th. In 2021, he is playing a role in "The Journey", "D4DJ First Mix", "Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway", etc. To celebrate his birthday, we conducted the same readers' survey as last year, "Who's Your Favorite Character Played by Furuya Toru-san?" There were 861 votes during the survey period from July 13 to July 20. The voters were mainly female with a gender ratio of 75% female to 25% male. The age range was 30% under 20, 25% in their 20s, and 20% in their 30s. ■Amuro Toru from "Detective Conan" has won a majority vote! 1st Place 1st place went to Amuro Toru from "Detective Conan". The support rating was about 54%, winning more votes than last year, and he topped the list for four consecutive years. The readers praised him for playing three different roles, and received comments were, "He sometimes plays a private detective Amuro Toru, and at other times, he plays Bourbon, a member of the Black Organization, whose identity is Furuya Rei, an undercover investigator of the Public Security Bureau. I guess that many people should have fallen in love with him......", "Furuya-san uses different tones of voice, which make the characters' charms stand out", and "Thanks to Furuya-san's voice, I can enjoy different characters' different personalities". A third of the voters chose the name of Furuya Rei, and left the comments like, "I think it's wonderful of him to always stays strong in his belief" and "It's cool that he is determined to thoroughly follow on his intention, and does whatever he can do". 2nd Place 2nd place went to Amuro Ray from "Mobile Suit Gundam". The support rating was about 16%, and he placed 2nd same as last year. Amuro Ray is the protagonist of "Mobile Suit Gundam" and "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack". The readers mentioned his different charms shown in each series, saying "Although most of the characters were depicted as hot-blooded men back in the days, the protagonist in this series was an innocent boy, which was very inspiring", "He is a legendary figure as the first protagonist of the blockbuster that has a history of over 40 years. Especially, Amuro in 'Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack' has the air of a soldier, and seems to have leeway as an adult man". Some readers mentioned the latest film, which is currently showing, with the comment, "When I heard Amuro's voice in 'Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway' I got goosebumps". 3rd Place 3rd place went to Chiba Mamoru (Tuxedo Mask) "Sailor Moon". The support rating was about 6%, and he moved up from 4th place last year. He is the boyfriend of the protagonist Tsukino Usagi, and he disguises himself as Tuxedo Mask to support Sailor Moons. He was especially from the fans in their 30s who are the same generation as the series, and the comments received include, "I lost my heart to Tuxedo Mask's sweet voice. He is my first love when I was in the 3rd grade at elementary school", "I like Mamo-chan, who protects the heroine, sometimes harshly, sometimes kindly. Furuya-san perfectly plays the difference between the snobbish vibe of Tuxedo Mask and the dignified manner of Prince Endymion in his previous life". ■Let's introduce other comments!! Kasuga Kyosuke from "Kimagure Orange Road" "Indecisiveness of Kyosuke and immaturity of teenagers are naturally expressed, and I got interested in a voice actor as a profession for the first time." Sabo from "One Piece" "I was impressed by him inheriting the will of Ace, and supporting Luffy to achieve his goal. Furuya-san's voice enhances the charm of Sabo!" Casshern from "Casshern Sins" "He is the only immortal character in the series. Furuya-san's play accurately conveys his suffering and sorrow." Some readers voted for his narration other than the characters. The narration of "Akagi: Yami ni Oritatta Tensai" "His narration in a straightforward manner never disturbed the sound of a mah-jongg piece and BGM, but it certainly evoked a particular mood." Multiple protagonists have been ranked in the overall ranking. ■Ranking Top 10 [Who's Your Favorite Character Played by Furuya Toru-san? 2021 Edition] 1. Amuro Toru (Furuya Rei/Bourbon) "Detective Conan" 2. Amuro Ray "Mobile Suit Gundam" 3. Chiba Mamoru (Tuxedo Mask) "Sailor Moon" 4. Sabo "One Piece" 5. Pegasus Seiya "Saint Seiya" 6. Yamcha "Dragon Ball" 7. Kasuga Kyosuke "Kimagure Orange Road" 8. Hoshi Hyuma "Star of the Giants" 9. AkaRed "GoGo Sentai Boukenger VS Super Sentai" etc. 9. Ribbons Almark "Mobile Suit Gundam 00" (Survey Period: July 13 - July 20, 2021) ■Overall Ranking [Who's Your Favorite Character Played by Furuya Toru-san? 2021 Edition] 1. Amuro Toru (Furuya Rei/Bourbon) "Detective Conan" 2. Amuro Ray "Mobile Suit Gundam" 3. Chiba Mamoru (Tuxedo Mask) "Sailor Moon" 4. Sabo "One Piece" 5. Pegasus Seiya "Saint Seiya" 6. Yamcha "Dragon Ball" 7. Kasuga Kyosuke "Kimagure Orange Road" 8. Hoshi Hyuma "Star of the Giants" 9. AkaRed "GoGo Sentai Boukenger VS Super Sentai" etc. 9. Ribbons Almark "Mobile Suit Gundam 00" 11. Abel "Dragon Warrior" ("Dragon Warrior: Legend of the Hero Abel") 11. Kirishima Zen "The World's Greatest First Love" *Under his pseudonym 'Sogetsu Noboru' 11. Shiba Hiroshi "Steel Jeeg" 14. Utsunomiko "Utsunomiko" 14. Casshern "Casshern Sins" 14. Shikon no Tama "Inuyasha" 14. Sirius "The Sea Prince and the Fire Child" (Survey Period: July 13 - July 20, 2021)