The official website for Gekijо̄-ban Nintama Rantaro Dokutake Ninja-tai Saikyо̄ no Gunshi (Nintama Rantaro the Movie: The Dokutake Ninja Team's Strongest Strategist), the first anime film in the Nintama Rantaro anime franchise in 13 years, confirmed returning cast members for fifth graders at Ninjutsu Academy and revealed character visuals on Friday:
The movie is based on Kazuhisa Sakaguchi's 2013 novel of the same name, which centers on Rantaro's teacher Hansuke Doi losing a battle against Sonnamon and Zatto Konnamon becoming a teacher at Ninjutsu Academy.
The returning cast includes Minami Takayama as Rantarō, Mayumi Tanaka as Kirimaru, Teiyū Ichiryūsai as Shinbei Fukutomi, and Toshihiko Seki as Hansuke Doi. In addition, Naniwa Danshi members Ryūsei Ōnishi and Jōichirō Fujiwara will appear in the film as guest voice actors.
Masaya Fujimori (Doraemon movies) is returning from the previous film to direct the new one at Ajia-do, the same animation studio for the television series. Original novel writer Sakaguchi is writing the screenplay.
Naniwa Danshi will perform the film's theme song, and will also perform the long-time Nintama Rantaro anime series theme song "Yūki 100%" (Courage 100%), which will be used in the movie. Goro Matsui wrote the lyrics and Kōji Makaino composed the music for Naniwa Danshi's new song, which is specifically created for the film. Matsui and Makaino also wrote the lyrics and composed the "Yūki 100%" theme song.
The franchise's previous film Gekijō-ban Anime Nintama Rantaro Ninjutsu Gakuen Zenin Shutsudō! no Dan opened in March 2011.
The 31st series in the Nintama Rantaro anime franchise debuted in April 2023. The 32nd series premiered in April 2024.
Soubee Amako's original Rakudai Ninja Rantarō ninja gag manga centers around Rantarō, a ninja apprentice at an elite ninjutsu academy in historical Japan. As elementary students, Rantarō and his ninja-in-training friends are called "Nintama" — a contraction of the words "ninja" and "tamago" ("egg").
The manga inspired the Nintama Rantaro television anime in 1993, and the NHK-E channel is still airing the 10-minute anime every weekday. The manga also inspired two anime films and two live-action films. Takashi Miike directed the first live-action film.
Sources: Gekijо̄-ban Nintama Rantaro Dokutake Ninja-tai Saikyо̄ no Gunshi film's website, Comic Natalie