Tsuda plays film’s key character Nyakkuru as his 1st role in franchise
The staff for Soreike! Anpanman: Pantan to Yakusoku no Hoshi (Pantan and the Promised Star), the 37th film in the franchise, announced on Tuesday that Kenjirō Tsuda will voice the character Nyakkuru. Nyakkuru is a key character in the film who used to be an adventurer seeking the rainbow star alongside the character Pantan. This is Tsuda’s first time voicing a role in the Anpanman franchise.
Image via Soreike! Anpanman: Pantan to Yakusoku no Hoshi anime film’s website
©やなせスタジオ ©やなせたかし／フレーベル館・TMS・NTV ©やなせたかし／アンパンマン製作委員会2026
Image via Anpanman films’ X/Twitter account
©やなせスタジオ ©やなせたかし／フレーベル館・TMS・NTV ©やなせたかし／アンパンマン製作委員会2026
The film centers on a new character named Pantan, played by guest star Tao Tsuchiya. Pantan is a red panda who seeks to find the treasure thought to be in a rainbow star in the night sky, in order to keep a promise made to an adventurer long ago. When Pantan and Anpanman encounter each other, Anpanman lends his abilities to help out Pantan.
Hiroyuki Yano, who has directed numerous previous films in the franchise, is directing the new film. Shoji Yonemura, a similar veteran of the franchise, is penning the film’s script. Franchise composers Taku Izumi and Hiroaki Kondō are composing the music.
The new movie will open in Japan on June 26.
Soreike! Anpanman: Chapon no Hero!, the 36th film in the Anpanman franchise, opened in Japan last June and ranked #8 in its opening weekend. The film earned 132,757,670 yen (about US$924,000) in its first three days.
The Soreike! Anpanman television anime series began in 1988, and new Anpanman films have opened each summer since 1989. The 2014 film Soreike! Anpanman: Ringo Bōya to Minna no Negai (Let’s Go! Anpanman: The Apple Boy and Everyone’s Wishes) was the first film since Anpanman creator Takashi Yanase’s death.
Sources: 2026 Anpanman film’s website, Comic Natalie
