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Yui Makino, Ryota Ohsaka, Tetsuo Goto Join Monster Hunter Stories Anime/Game Cast

The official website of the Monster Hunter Stories RIDE ON television anime series revealed three new cast members last Friday. The same characters and cast members will also appear in the upcoming Monster Hunter Stories Nintendo 3DS game. The cast members are:

Yui Makino as Ayuria, a mysterious girl. The game's website describes her as a rider from different village from Ryuto.

Ryota Ohsaka as Shuval, Ryuto's childhood friend with a kind-hearted personality. He says he wants to be a strong rider in order to protect his mother.

Tetsuo Gotō as Village Chief Omuna, chief of the village of Hakuma, where Ryuto is from. He has a friendly personality and looks after the people of the village.

The previously announced cast includes (character name spellings are not official):

Mutsumi Tamura as Ryuto, a young boy whose dream is to become the best Rider in the world.

M.A.O a Naviloo, a Felyne with a "slightly different shape."

Minami Takahashi as Lilia, Ryuto's childhood friend who is cheerful and responsible. She is curious about the outside world, and wants to experience various things.

The game will also feature the option of a female protagonist, though her voice actress has not yet been revealed.

The anime will air on Fuji TV on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. in October. Fuji TV is creating a new morning anime timeslot for the series for the first time in 10 years. The show was previously listed at 48 episodes, with each episode being 30 minutes long.

The anime's official website describes the story:

Creating bonds with monsters, the rider's journey begins.

This is a world where both men and monsters exist. Those who hunt the monsters are called Hunters. But in a small corner of the Hunter's world, there are those called Riders who bond with and coexist with monsters. With their Kizuna Ishi (Bonding Stones) that allow them to awaken the hidden power inside monsters, Riders live in secrecy together with their Otomon, the monsters they have formed a connection with.

Ryuto, a young boy living in the Rider village of Hakum, dreams of becoming the world's best Rider. Having just turned 12, he sets out to find his own Otomon for himself before the ceremony where he is given his own Kizuna Ishi. Together with his kind-hearted childhood friend Shuval, his inquisitive childhood friend Lilia, and his partner Naviloo, he sets out deep into the forest, and has a miraculous encounter with a Rathalos.

A story begins where a Rider and his Otomon will deepen their bond.

CAPCOM is credited with the anime's original work, and Mitsuru Hongo (World Trigger series director, Battle Spirits: Shōnen Toppa Bashin director) is directing the anime at david production (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure). Natsuko Takahashi (My Love Story!!, 07-Ghost) is writing and overseeing the scripts, and Takuya Saitō (Macross Zero, Outlaw Star) is designing the characters.

The series is the first anime based on CAPCOM's Monster Hunter game franchise, and is inspired specifically by the upcoming Monster Hunter Stories Nintendo 3DS role-playing game. The game will ship in Japan on October 8.

[Via Dengeki Online]