With Nahoko Uehashi having done some interesting works before such as Moribito, we were excited by the reveal back in June 2018 that their series Shika no Ō is getting an anime project. The adaptation was done as a theatrical film that was scheduled originally to arrive on September 18th, 2020 but it was part of the slate of titles delayed because of COVID several times. It finally arrived with a February 4th, 2022 Japanese release date.
Localized as The Deer King with GKIDS picking it up, the Japanese side recently update with home video release plans. Kadokawa has scheduled a September 28th, 2022 release for the film on DVD priced at 4,800 yen and on Blu-ray at 5,800 yen. The set comes with a 2.0 PCM Japanese track and a 5.1 DTS-HD MA Japanese track and just Japanese subtitles. The releases include a booklet along with the trailers and promos for it.
With the set out in a few days, we now have a look at the finalized cover artwork for it.
The film is directed by Masashi Ando and based on the screenplay by Taku Kishimoto. Masayuki Miyaji served as an assistant director while Ando also handled the character designs. Production I.G. worked on the animation production.
The Japanese cast includes Shinichi Tsutsumi as Van, Ryōma Takeuchi as Hossal, and Anne Watanabe as Sae.
The English cast includes Ray Chase as Van, Griffin Puatu as Hohsalle, Erica Schroeder as Sae, Luciana VanDette as Yuna, Doug Stone as Tohlim, Neil Kaplan as Aquafa King, Frank Todaro as Kenoi, Luis Bermudez as Makokan, Keith Silverstein as Ohfan, Chris Hackney as Yotalu, Doug Erholtz as Utalu, Xander Mobus as Shikan, Larissa Gallagher as Van’s Wife, Michael Deaner as Van’s Son, Stefan Martello as Tohma, Steve Kramer as Ohma, Edna Larsen as Ohma’s Wife, Larissa Gallagher as Kiya, Marc Thompson as Yoki, Stephanie Sheh as Yoki’s Wife, Michael Deaner as Yoki’s Son, Grant George as Hohsalle’s Assistant, and Stephanie Sheh as Kazan Woman.
The two-volume series (which saw a slimmer four-volume run in 2017) came out in 2014 and won the Japan Booksellers’ Award and won the fourth “Japan Medical Novel Award” in 2015.
Check out the official site and Twitter.
Plot Concept: The tribal homelands of the “Lost Antlers” are under siege — they’ve become the latest target of the Empire, an oppressive and unsurmountable enemy. Van leads his warriors into a losing battle all the same, quickly finding himself enslaved, toiling away at a salt mine. A chance for freedom comes one night when a mysterious pack of wild dogs attacks, and Van escapes the mine with a young girl, whom he takes under his protection. However, the wild dogs brought more than Van’s freedom: they carried a devastating plague with them, which begins to spread throughout the land. With an even greater enemy in sight, Van unites with the genius doctor Hohsalle and others to unravel the secrets of the plague and find a cure.
Previous trailers:
[Source: Shika no Ou]
