On July 3, Tokyo Disneyland held a special event called the “Fan Time with Toy Story 5” Private Evening Party, where guests could enjoy the park exclusively.
During this special event, a special talk show commemorating the release of the Disney and Pixar film *Toy Story 5* was held at the Fantasyland Forest Theater.
Eight members of the Japanese voice cast for the movie “Toy Story 5” appeared as guests on the talk show. Returning from the previous film are Toshiaki Karasawa as Woody and George Tokoro as Buzz Lightyear.
In addition, Alice Hirose, who makes her debut in this film as Lilypad, along with Yuto Sano (M!LK) as Smarty Pants and Kazu Inoue (Nogizaka46) as Snappy from the “Tech Trio,” Kemuri Matsui (Reiwa Roman) as Atlas, all made surprise appearances.
In addition, Shun Matsuo and Shohei Nagata (Chocolate Planet), who played Ducky and Bunny in the previous film, also made an appearance, bringing the crowd to a fever pitch.
During the talk show, the voice actors discussed the release of the fifth installment in the series—a sequel released 30 years after the series’ Japan premiere—and shared their impressions of watching the final cut in a discussion that lasted about 20 minutes.
Right at the start, Toshiaki Karasawa said, “You’re all my partners!” sending the energy in the venue soaring to its peak from the very beginning. George Tokoro followed up by saying, “I’m Buzz Lightyear!” and “To the far reaches of space—let’s go!”—whipping the crowd into a frenzy with these iconic lines right from the start.
In addition, the voice actors playing characters introduced in the new film took turns reciting lines from the movie. Alice Hirose, who played a character making her debut in this film, said, “Hello, I’m Lilypad.” Yuto Sano, who played Smarty Pants, said, “Snappy, Atlas, Ahhh~!”
Kazu Inoue (Nogizaka46), who plays Snappy, exclaimed, “It looks great, it looks great!” Kemuri Matsui (Reiwa Roman), who plays Atlas, also introduced himself, saying, “Hi there, I’m Atlas, the toy hippo!” Then, Shun Matsuo, who plays Ducky, said, “Up there, Astro Boy!” and Shohei Nagata, who plays Bunny, also drew laughter by unexpectedly quoting lines from the previous film, exclaiming, “Ahh~ I have three faces!”
During the special talk segment, when the host asked, “What kind of character is Woody?” Mr. Karasawa replied, “He’s the most human-like, I’d say. He gets sulky right away, and he even gets jealous when Buzz first arrives, right? He’s honest and very much like a human.”
Mr. Tokoro made a surprising remark: “It went by so fast—I can’t believe it’s already been 30 years. We did the ‘Buzz’ scene again this time, and with so many people in it… it was a real hassle!” He also casually highlighted a highlight of the film, saying, “The ending was such a wonderful scene—I’d love to have a poster just of that part.”
Hirose also said, “Just hearing Karasawa and Tokoro talk was enough for me to eavesdrop and think, ‘It’s Woody and Buzz!’” Sano added, “I’ve been watching them since before I can remember, and they taught me what friendship is. They showed me that even if you fight, you can still become friends again by really facing each other head-on.”
Mr. Inoue also shared his thoughts, saying, “Since I’ve watched him grow up from a young age, in the sense that we’ve grown together, he’s like a friend to me.”
Matsui spoke passionately about each character, saying, “With each new film, Woody becomes an even more reliable presence. And I feel that Buzz is becoming more and more charming.” He also praised the two characters highly, adding, “They’re like Mr. Tokoro and Mr. Karasawa—figures who have been bringing us entertainment for a long time. Woody and Buzz are eternal icons we look up to.”
Matsuo said, “He’s a superstar, isn’t he? At the same time, since I’ve been with the series since the fourth installment, I feel like a senior to the other new cast members—a direct senior,” and he got the audience excited with this display of seniority.
Reflecting on the past 30 years, Mr. Karasawa said, “Back when it was ‘1,’ that was the very beginning. I was doing my best just with the dubbing, but it’s amazing to see so many people coming to watch now, isn’t it?”
Mr. Sano also shared an anecdote about recording his voice. “To me, they’re both huge stars. I was super nervous. Since I was playing the role of Smarty Pants, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh! I’m talking to Buzz!’” he said, clearly unable to hide his excitement.
Inoue also expressed her joy at being able to participate in this film as a voice actress, saying, “It really feels like a dream. I never imagined a future like this was possible, so when it was finalized, I felt like I’d finally done something to honor my parents. Now that I’ve finally been able to bring this movie to life, I realize it really is real!”
In addition, Matsui revealed that he is “recently saying he’s not with Yoshimoto anymore, but with Disney… Pixar. By the way, in the show, he’s the map character. Since there are scenes in the main story where he comes in handy, I’m constantly searching for mentions of him on social media every day,” revealing that he never misses a chance to search for himself online.
Regarding the new digital toys, Mr. Karasawa remarked, “Since we’re analog toys, it feels like our greatest enemy has arrived.” Mr. Tokoro offered a comment typical of Buzz, saying, “I’m a state-of-the-art toy, but I’m actually an old-school type. At least, that’s what I think.”
In addition, a fun fact came up regarding Ducky & Bunny: there are lines exclusive to the Japanese version. The two members of Chocopla joked, “Of course, the bar really does get raised with each installment of this series, but the quality here surpasses it! We were so moved when Ducky & Bunny appeared—thank you for making an appearance! Does this mean they’re regulars now? It feels like we’ve been given our own episode.”
Speaking about the new film, Hirose said, “It’s a work that realistically portrays our current era. It makes you rethink the relationship between toys and children, as well as the bonds between people.” Sano also appealed to the audience, saying, “Since the focus is on Jesse this time, I was happy as a fan. Please be sure to check it out!”
Inoue also introduced the film, saying, “While there are aspects where toys and digital technology are at odds, the relationship between them really makes you think, and there are things you can only appreciate as an adult. I think you can see it from various perspectives—as a child and as an adult. It’s the kind of movie where you think, ‘It’s delicious no matter how many times I eat it.’ That’s the kind of movie it is.”
Mr. Tokoro also shared some insights about Buzz, saying, “It’s a movie about the human heart. Buzz acts based on human emotions at times, and at other times, he acts like a toy. There are moments when you think, ‘That doesn’t quite add up.’ There are also parts where he strangely understands that he’s a toy—like when he says, ‘This is falling.’” His remarks had the audience nodding in agreement.
The event concluded with messages from George Tokoro and Toshiaki Karasawa. “This is a movie you’ll want to watch over and over, so even if you saw it today, please watch it a second or third time!” said Tokoro. Karasawa added, “The fifth installment is another deeply moving film. I really, really hope you’ll watch it many times and let yourselves be moved by it!”
In addition, during the commemorative photo session, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie—all dressed in costumes from the latest film—made an appearance and celebrated the movie’s release together with the movie fans in the audience.
The latest installment in the series, “Toy Story 5,” is a story centered on Jessie, the cowgirl doll who has watched over Bonnie—an imaginative but shy little girl—as she grows up.
Bonnie has become obsessed with the cutting-edge digital tablet “LilyPad,” and as her once-cheerful smile begins to fade, Woody and Buzz team up once again to turn things around—but will they succeed?
In today’s world, where the wave of digitalization is sweeping in and entertainment options abound, this content reminds us of the “special role” that only toys can play in an era where the nature of “play” has changed.
Tokyo Disneyland is currently hosting “Fun Time with Toy Story 5” through September 14. The event features a “Toy Friends Stamp Rally,” merchandise, special menu items, and decorations.
© Source travel watch