#Soccer-Loving Comedian Hiroyuki Yabe Joins Cast of Farewell, My Dear Cramer Film

Hiroyuki Yabe, one half of the comedy duo Ninety-nine and an avid soccer fan in real life, is joining the cast of the upcoming Farewell, My Dear Cramer – First Touch anime theatrical film in an original role created just for the film. In the movie, Yabe plays Yabe-sensei (pictured above), the head of the squad that cheers on the athletes. In real life, Hiroyuki Yabe played soccer as a young man and he’s also hosted sports programs where he interviews soccer players.

An English language version of the Farewell, My Dear Cramer manga is available from Kodansha Comics, who describe the story of the series as follows:

With no soccer accomplishments to speak of during the entirety of Sumire Suo’s junior high school years, the young wing gets an odd offer. Suo’s main rival, Midori Soshizaki, invites her to join up on the same team in high school, with a promise that she’ll never let Suo “play alone.” It’s an earnest offer, but the question is whether Suo will take her up on it. Thus the curtain opens on a story that collects an enormous cast of individual soccer-playing personalities!

Farewell, My Dear Cramer – First Touch follows Nozomi Onda, a middle school student who is constantly sitting on the bench because her school only has a boy’s soccer club and no girl’s soccer club. Nozomi keeps pestering the coach to let her play, and she wants to take to the field during the upcoming season to prove that she can play just as well as any boy to Yasuaki “Namek” Tani, a rival player and former childhood friend.

Farewell, My Dear Cramer – First Touch is directed by Seiki Takuno and features animation production by Liden Films. Originally scheduled to debut in April of 2021, the film’s release was postponed, and now it is scheduled to begin its theatrical run in Japan on June 11, 2021.

Source: Comic Natalie

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Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.