Toritsukare Otoko Anime Film Previews Giuseppe’s Theme

The Bandai Namco Filmworks Channel has shared a clip from the upcoming Toritsukare Otoko anime film. The preview shows its lead, Giuseppe, voiced by the idol Masaya Sano, performing the song “Giuseppe’s Theme.” The movie is set to open on November 7 in Japan.

Toritsukare Otoko is based on a novel by Shinji Ishii that Billiken first published in 2001, with a later pocket edition arriving from Shinchosha in 2006. The title nickname belongs to Giuseppe, a man the townsfolk name for the way he throws his whole attention into whatever captures his interest in the moment.

The story is a gentle romance between Giuseppe and a balloon seller named Pechka. He sets out to ease her troubles using the many odd skills he has gathered over the years, with help from Cielo, a rat he can actually talk to.

Wataru Takahashi is directing the film, with a script by Naoyuki Miura and character designs by Masatsugu Arakawa, and Shin Ei Animation is handling production. Masaya Sano leads the cast as Giuseppe alongside Moka Kamishiraishi as Pechka.

My take: I am charmed by the idea of a hero whose real gift is simply caring deeply about one thing at a time, and a quiet romance built around that feels like a lovely change of pace.