Vanness Wu to voice Animax film
By Marinel Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:09:00 10/27/2008
MANILA, Philippines - Taiwanese-American superstar Vanness Wu of the pop group F4 has agreed to lend his voice to an Animax full-length animated movie based on the script written by Carmelo S.J. Juinio, a Filipino, Inquirer Entertainment learned.
“LaMB” is the first-ever animated movie to be produced under the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and SPE Networks-Asia Joint Production Fund. It will premiere on the Japanese animé TV network Animax across Asia early 2009.
Award-winning actress and singer Josie Ho, daughter of casino tycoon Stanley Ho, is also on board as voice actor for the villainess Keiko Suzuki. She will dub the movie in English and Cantonese.
Wu will dub in English and Mandarin for the protagonist Jack Griswold, according to a statement sent by Animax to the Inquirer.
“LaMB” follows protagonists Jack and Eve’s struggle against planet Cerra’s ‘Lamination’ system of imprisonment, where criminals called ‘LaMBs’ are kept in laminated suits to remain productive but not free members of society.
Eve is an ex-scientist convicted of murder during an experiment gone wrong. Jack is a visiting scientist immersing himself in work to get over his wife’s death.
Eventually, he gets pulled into the political system of ‘Lamination’ and a romance with Eve ensues.
“LaMB” is based on the work that fist-time scriptwriter Juinio submitted to the Animax Pan-Asia scriptwriting contest in Japan last year.
He lost to Hayato Takamaga (Japan, “Takane no Jitensha”). Over 3,000 entries were submitted.
“It’s great that Animax has asked Vanness, who is popular in Taiwan, to join the project. This will bring in not only animé fans but enthusiasts of Taiwan drama,” Juinio told the Inquirer on Tuesday.
This is Wu’s first venture into acting for animation.
“I am very excited about my involvement here. This is like reaching out to Asian youths in a big way,” said Wu. “Jack is a very complex character with many facets and strong emotions. I am looking forward to meeting the challenges to bring him to life.”
Ho had also worked as voice talent of the Asian versions of the Hollywood animated movies “The Simpsons” (2007) and “Kung Fu Panda” (2008).
“Being always on the lookout for edgy and unusual acting roles, I am thrilled to take on the role of Keiko, which offers me room to be creative and expressive,” said Ho.
A whopping $6 million is allotted to produce “LaMB.” It will be showcased on “three screen-TV, online and mobile,” a campaign that is expected to run for six months, the statement said.
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