The movie “Peleliu – Guernika of Paradise” will be released nationwide on Friday, December 5, 2025.
The official report of the Tokyo premiere screening held at United Cinema Toyosu on Wednesday, November 19th has arrived!
At this event, Mr. Mitsuto Itagaki, Mr. Tomoya Nakamura, and the original author/co-screenwriter Kazuyoshi Takeda appeared on stage. He talked about his thoughts on the work and valuable behind-the-scenes stories from the shoot.
“Peleliu – Guernika of Paradise” Tokyo Premier Screening Official Report
The film “Peleliu: Guernika of Paradise'' will appear on the big screen this winter as a milestone to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. The film stars Ri Mitsuto Itagaki and co-stars Tomoya Nakamura, and while expectations are rising day by day for this story of wartime friendship based on historical facts, the Tokyo premiere was held at United Cinema Toyosu, where Ri Mitsuto Itagaki, Tomoya Nakamura, and Kazuyoshi Takeda, the original author and co-screenwriter, took to the stage to greet the audience. They were greeted with applause from the fans who rushed in, and after each person said a few words, the event started.
First of all, regarding the film being finally unveiled to a large audience at the Tokyo premiere screening, he said, “It's an honor to be involved in a work that marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, and I hope that everyone will be able to learn about history through the film, just as I learned about that time when I came across this original work. “I'm happy that we're able to make connections with each other.'' (Itagaki) “I'm happy to be able to reach so many people. There were some parts that were tense because of the subject matter (war), but Mr. Kamishiraishi's singing voice healed me.'' (Nakamura) expressed their joy.
Tamaru, played by Itagaki, is a kind-hearted young man who aspires to be a manga artist, and is a character who fulfills his responsibilities as a meritorious officer on the battlefield. Itagaki once again talked about Tamaru.“It's a little hard to describe, but I think of him as someone who is like a hard-boiled egg for Kirei.He's not the type to take the lead, but he's an indispensable presence, and when he's around, it creates a warm atmosphere.He's a great person to have around.''He talked about its charm, and Nakamura, who was next to him, immediately agreed, saying, “I get it!''“The best thing about Tamaru-kun is that he recognizes the parts of himself that he lacks. So I think that's why he sees people so well, and I think he was able to draw a lot of people after being appointed to the merit section.''he said. On the other hand, Yoshiki, played by Nakamura, is a reliable character who stands out for his brave attitude and solid fighting ability.“He's the eldest son of a strong man. On top of that, and the same can be said for Tamaru, he's a pleasantly honest person. I think he's a wonderful person who can say 'I'm sorry and thank you'.”Nakamura commented with lots of love, and Itagaki also said,“It's a relationship where they complement each other and support each other in what they don't have. On top of that, when I look at Yoshiki from Tamaru's perspective, I think he's cool, and I think Yoshiki has a lot of enviable qualities, such as his bravery and skill with guns.''He revealed his impression of Yoshiki.
The next question goes to Takeda, the creator of this story. The voice actors for Tamaru and Yoshiki were asked about their impressions when Itagaki and Nakamura were chosen.“First of all, I heard that Mr. Itagaki was a candidate for Tamaru, but his voice just didn't stand out, so when I saw the video on YouTube, I thought that he really sounded like Tamaru.From there, I made an instant decision and immediately pushed him hard to the producer.''Reminiscing. Next, about Nakamura's Yoshiki,“I had an image that if his original voice had a coolness to it, he would be more like Yoshiki, but Mr. Nakamura's Yoshiki has exceeded my imagination.Of course he is cool, but I'm glad that he not only showed off that, but also clearly expressed his backbone and his true face as a simple young man from the countryside.''This is also highly praised. In addition, regarding Tamaru, whom Itagaki breathed into life,“Originally, I portrayed Tamaru as a person with a gentle atmosphere, but Mr. Itagaki's voice is truly soothing. Even in serious scenes, it doesn't make the viewer feel too bad, so I'm really glad that Mr. Itagaki played the role of Tamaru. Also, the crackling quality of his voice when he shouted out loud was impressive. I feel that this also realistically expressed the feelings of a soldier.''Looking back, both Itagaki and Nakamura's faces broke down at the sincere and passionate message from the original author.
Itagaki and Nakamura co-starred for the first time in this work. They played the roles of two partners who tried their best to support each other on the harsh battlefield, but when asked about their impressions, it started with Itagaki.“He was so frank in a good way that it was hard to believe we were meeting for the first time.It was important for us to build a bond between Tamaru and Yoshiki, so I was really grateful, and I was happy that Mr. Nakamura was my Yoshiki.''When he directly expressed his respect for his senior actor Nakamura, Nakamura responded to Itagaki,“I originally had an image of her as cute, but after doing interviews, I realized that she has a quirky feel to her, which I like in a good way.I think it's interesting that she seems to be worrying and thinking about various things.''Nakamura also gave his own words of praise. Takeda, who was watching the duo's dubbing, said, “I didn't make any requests to the two of them in advance.I didn't think it would be a good idea for my conversation to create different perceptions, and since they were powerful people, I trusted them and left them to them.''He once again spoke about his trust in the two of them who brought his work to life.
The event will move on to the planning part, and its contents will be as follows:“Palauan Quiz Challenge” tests the friendship between Itagaki and Nakamura.The first question is “●● Daijobu'', which is a word for “delicious'' in Palauan, and what would fit in the blank?. Itagaki himself confessed that he almost accidentally looked at the materials with the answers written before the event, which caused laughter, and while the two of them were thinking about it, he answered, “Ajidai job,” which was the correct answer.
Next,2nd question: What should be put in the blank in “Atama●●” to mean “appearing confused”?. The first clue to the highly difficult quiz was that it was something that was spinning, but the audience burst into laughter with a series of unusual answers such as “Atama Daijobu,'' “Atama Naruto,'' “Atama Nyorozo,'' which is based on the popular Pokemon character Nyorozo, and “Atama Atama Atama!'' which was compared to the phrase “My head is full of confusion.'' Afterwards, Takeda gave the next hint, “It's a summer tradition in Japan,'' to which the two students answered “Atamakatori Cenkou,'' which they also answered correctly, and the audience erupted in cheers as they were able to clear the difficult question. Looking back on taking the quiz, each of them said, “It's interesting because you can feel the historical background and playfulness of the time,'' (Itagaki) and “Putting aside the joke that Nyorozo is cute, I'd like to actually go there and experience it myself.'' (Nakamura).
Afterwards, after a photo session, Takeda, Nakamura, and Itagaki gave their final greetings. “I drew the original manga 10 years ago, marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, and at that time I thought it would be great if as many people as possible read the manga, and I'm really happy that it's been made into a movie, with voice actors such as Itagaki-san and Nakamura-san, and that it can be delivered to a lot of people.I hope you enjoy it. (Takeda), “Now that you're about to see it, I think there will be even more to see, such as colors and sounds, as a contrast between the manga and the anime.I wonder how the scenery on the island at the beginning of the story will change, how the story will change after that, what the people in the story will feel, and what will happen to everyone after watching it.'' I think it's worth watching, so please enjoy it!'' (Nakamura) “Some people may find it a little scary or want to turn away, but I want them to cherish that feeling. I hope that everyone will cherish that feeling, and I would also like you to experience and learn about the history that I learned when I came across this work, and I would be happy if even just a little bit of heart could be moved and a connection could be made.'' (Itagaki) They passionately talked about their feelings towards history and the work. The event came to a close amid applause from the fans.
Tokyo premiere screening of the movie “Peleliu: Guernika of Paradise” Overview
[Date and time]November 19th (Wednesday)
[Venue]United Cinema Toyosu Screen 10
[Speakers]Ri Mitsuto Itagaki, Tomoya Nakamura, Kazuyoshi Takeda (original story/co-screenplay)
Information on the movie “Peleliu: Guernika of Paradise”
Nationwide release on Friday, December 5, 2025
Distribution: Toei
Synopsis
In 1944, at the end of the Pacific War, the beautiful tropical island of Peleliu Island. A 21-year-old Japanese soldier, Tamaru, was there. Tamaru, an aspiring manga artist, is recognized for his talent and assigned a special mission. His job was to be a “achievements clerk,'' who wrote down the last moments of bravery of deceased comrades to their bereaved families.
On September 15th, the U.S. military begins its attack on Peleliu Island. More than 40,000 US military elites attack. The Japanese army was 10,000 strong. The constant sound of gunfire from repeated artillery bombardment, the heartbreaking cries of soldiers stuck in my mind. The friend next to him dies in an instant, and in an extreme situation where he doesn't know when he will die, he is attacked by unbearable hunger, thirst, and an infectious disease. The Japanese army is gradually cornered, and is forbidden to even attack the enemy, forcing them to fight for a long time with their bodies covered in wounds in a desperate attempt to buy time.
Tamaru makes a beautiful story out of the death of his friends, sometimes with lies. I don't know what the right thing is… The person who supported him was Yoshiki, a reliable Private First Class who was also his mate. The two foster a special bond while encouraging each other and sharing their struggles.
Each person had their own life and family. No one wanted to die. All I wanted to do was go back to my loved ones. Only 34 Japanese soldiers survived to the end. Tamaru and Yoshiki tried their best to survive in a harsh and cruel world. What did the two young soldiers see on the crazy battlefield?
cast
Keisuke Yoshiki: Tomoya Nakamura
(C) Kazuyoshi Takeda/Hakusensha/2025 “Peleliu – Guernica of Paradise” Production Committee
