NOTE: Any characters who are not listed here have already been casted offsite. As of writing, these include: Ghadius, Joka, King Seadoph and Karal. Thank you for your understanding.
Klonoa: Door To Phantomile is a video game published by Japanese developer Namco on PlayStation 1 in 1997. Despite spawning a direct sequel and several spinoffs, the series was never marketed well - resulting in low sales, thus pushing the series into obscurity, left to rot slowly.
Klonoa is quite literally my biggest passion and I feel that having an animated version of at least the first game's story to watch would not only help satiate my hunger for a Klonoa anime (despite not quite being one), but also help raise awareness of the Klonoa brand in general. Klonoa is very special to me and he does not deserve the fate those in power have given him.
The story of Door To Phantomile follows friends Klonoa and Huepow in an adventure to stop Ghadius and Joka from turning the dreamworld of Phantomile into a desolate, barren nightmare. Along the way, they meet a variety of friends and foes in a journey of a lifetime with some surprisingly dark twists for a story that seems wholesome on the outside - including fake memories and on-screen deaths.
Please note that I'm not too fussed about the character voices sounding exactly the same as the originals as long as it still invokes the spirit of said character. I just provided voice references for an idea as to how they should roughly sound. Please also note that I may cast certain characters offsite if I find someone in the wild who I feel can play the role well enough to my liking.
Additionally, this is a NON-PROFIT PASSION PROJECT. Even if I wanted to pay anyone for this, I don't have any way to make online transactions. Every role is listed as "unpaid" for a reason. Even if I could, I'd feel slimy paying people for this anyway, as I do not own the Klonoa IP. I hope this does not put you off from auditioning anyway.
Lastly, I'd like to note that I will be holding live recording sessions with everyone in some sort of voice chat as oppose to handing out the script and having everyone record their lines individually. I believe that you get a better performance if the actors can hear each other's deliveries and bounce off of each other. If this is inconvenient for you, don't audition.
Happy voicing!
Hello! Thank you to those who have supported this project thus far! Due to the lack of traction this page has been getting, I've decided to begin assigning roles to those whose submissions that I'm happy with despite the original deadline still being around a week away.
For the same reasoning, I've also decided to extend the deadline so as to allow more people to audition. Though please keep in mind, I may begin resorting to casting offsite.
Thank you for reading!
NOTE: Some, quite frankly, traumatising things happen to Klonoa throughout the story. If you think you're capable of doing long screams of utter heartbreak and agony, PLEASE include them in your audition. Getting these screams right is VERY important and I wanna make sure whoever I cast can pull them off from the get-go. The other lines are included so I know how you would sound when simply speaking.
Klonoa is an energetic and courageous young boy of nine-ish years of age who cares deeply for those around him. He is the main protagonist of the story and therefore, the most important character to get right. His weapon of choice is the Wind Ring, which he shoots Wind Bullets from to grab and throw his enemies. The Ring is powered by his best friend, the Ring Spirit, Huepow - it doesn't work unless he (or anyone else with the sufficient spiritual energy) is inside.
Wahoo! Rupurudu!
And I begin to wonder... the dreams I can't remember when I wake up in the morning. Where in the world did they go...?
(OPTIMISTICALLY) Huepow... what're you talking about? We've been friends forever, right?
NOTE: Huepow cries a decent amount in the story. Gonna need someone who can do that convincingly.
Huepow is Klonoa's "life-long best friend." They supposedly met in a forest just outside of Breezegale, the Wind Village, and have been friends ever since. He is the spirit that powers Klonoa's Wind Ring and has a similar personality to him, though something more with him seems to be going on under the surface.
(TIRED) We are together... Klonoa. Together... always...
(REFERRING TO A RECENT CRASH) It came from Bell Hill!
Let's go, Klonoa!
NOTE: Gonna need a good singer for reasons that'll become obvious upon reading the actual description. Please include a sample of that if you plan on auditioning for her. I also apologise for the lack of sample lines, she literally only has one line in the main story aside from singing.
Lephise is a legendary songstress known for singing the Song Of Rebirth in order to resurrect the world in times of need. She is kidnapped by Ghadius (the story's antagonist) in his attempt to destroy Phantomile.
Voice reference can be heard here if needed. Reference for the Song Of Rebirth can be heard here if also needed.
Thank you. The nightmares have disappeared.
NOTE: I may self-cast if I feel the right pick for the role isn't found. Gonna need someone who can sound like they're straining, since... spoiler alert, he dies.
Klonoa's unnamed grandfather. He is old, wise and may not survive the story. I don't really have much else to say, he's a major plot point but doesn't have much screentime.
Hmmm... Klonoa, you've really done it this time...
Klonoa, go and tell Forlock Forest's Granny about this.
(STRAINING) Klonoa... it looks like fate shall run its course...
Balue is a rough n' tough stonemason fella who's madly in love with Lephise. As in, he's building a giant tower so he can reach the Moon Kingdom to visit her type love. He's rather informal and will not stop talking but can still take serious situations seriously. I may want a slight Brooklyn accent for him, though that's not entirely necessary.
(IN RESPONSE TO KLONOA ASKING HIM ABOUT LEPHISE) Haven't heard of her, eh? She's the legendary songstress who sings the Song Of Rebirth!
YOU SAYIN' YOU DOUBT THE POWER OF MY LOVE FOR LEPHISE!? HUH!?
Right-o! Let's do this, everyone!
Jugpot's loyal sea creature who frequently takes Klonoa and Huepow to their desired destination throughout the story, whether it be through the ocean or the sky... because she can fly for some reason. She has a son named Karal who also helps out occasionally.
Klonoa... Huepow... do be careful.
I heard everything from King Seadoph and Granny. Hurry, hop on my back.
We're going to the Temple Of The Sun!
The unnamed granny of Forlock Forest, NOT Klonoa's granny. She is wise and knows a lot about ancient folk lore, including that of the legendary Moon Kingdom. She is briefly captured by Joka (the story's secondary antagonist) for interrogation purposes before being rescued by Klonoa. She also speaks rather crudely, almost caveman-ish.
Cough cough... What a day...
Well, saved am I? Many thanks.
Peace, it shall return.
The High Priest of Coronia, the Temple Of The Sun. He is the guardian of the temple's sanctuary and speaks rather formally. A British accent may be suggested to reflect this, though not entirely necessary.
Well done, well done.
I am Moire, the High Priest.
The eclipse gives strength to those on the side of evil. Take advantage of your enemies while there is light.
Solare is one of two priests of Coronia, the Temple Of The Sun. As oppose to his co-worker, Soleil, Solare speaks much more formally - more akin to Moire, the High Priest. Him and Soleil speak much in conjunction with each other, almost like two sides of the same person. Thus, I would like to cast the same person for them both. Though this isn't entirely necessary.
Unfortunately, we're not skilled in the art of combat.
Look over at those pedestals.
Go ahead, enter into the light!
NOTE: I would like a slight Brooklyn accent for Soleil, much like Balue. However, this is more of a make or break situation than Balue, hence why I'm adding an actual note for it instead of briefly mentioning it in the character description. Soleil is essentially the story's comedic relief for the whopping five minutes he actually appears for, so it's important to nail his performance to a T. At least to me. I may also resort to self-casting if I feel the right pick for the role is not found.
Soleil is one of two priests of Coronia, the Temple Of The Sun. As oppose to his co-worker, Solare, Soleil speaks much more sarcastically. Him and Soleil speak much in conjunction with each other, almost like two sides of the same person. Thus, I would like to cast the same person for them both. Though this isn't entirely necessary.
(IN RESPONSE TO SOLARE) Look at it!
(IN RESPONSE TO SOLARE. AGAIN.) He means we're wimps
(IN RESPONSE TO SOLARE. AGAIN, AGAIN.) It won't hurt. Much.
The Queen of Cress, the Moon Kingdom. She cares deeply for her kingdom, as well as for her son who I won't name because spoilers. An Aristocratic accent may fit, given her royalty, but is not entirely necessary.
We were careless. He (Ghadius) has trapped the Songstress Lephise into the egg below and is now pouring nightmare energy into it.
It is time to combine the strength of the five regions. Please, everybody, will you help me?
These cannons will only work if five shots are fired at the same time. We will aim the cannons, you (Klonoa) can pass us ammunition.
A soldier from Jugpot, the Water Kingdom, who finds themselves stuck on an official mission to see Forlock Forest's Granny.
Are you planning on going further?
No can do. The forest's trees have withered, so the way forward is blocked.
Sigh... And we thought Granny could save our king somehow...
NOTE: I may self-cast if the right pick for the role is not found.
A bunch of guardians of Forlock Forest who seem to have Nurse Joy/Officer Jenny syndrome in the way that they all look and sound exactly the same. Much like Granny, they speak almost caveman-ish.
Stop! Intruder!
Sorry. Strangers, wondering around recentlly.
You after Granny too!?
A guard of Cress, the Moon Kingdom, who comes out to greet Huepow upon his arrival. An Aristocratic accent may fit, given their connection to royalty, like the Queen. Though this isn't entirely necessary.
Oh, sire! We've been waiting for you!
I'm sorry. Our kingdom was overtaken by someone named Ghadius.
I would like for this project to be animated in a style similar to that of a late-90's cel anime, complete with it being produced in 4:3. Think something like Dragon Ball or Pokémon. Not only do I just like the style in general, but I feel it would also work incredibly well for the Klonoa series. The series takes place in a variety of dream-like worlds, and as such, has bizzare, dream-like visuals. I feel like this film looking similar to a 90's anime would bring out translate this feel to animation very well. Pre-existing Klonoa fans would likely think "Whoa, we could've got this! This feels like a weird fever dream!" Newcomers would likely also feel a similar way, only something more along the lines of "Whoa! This feels just like some lost, retro anime! This is like a weird fever dream!"
If you can attempt to adhere to my vision for how I want this film to look, that would be greatly appreciated. For your audition, please provide a recreation of the opening FMV that plays when you boot up the game - or at the very least, a small portion from it in the requested style.
*Say something you think would fit*
Give me a recreation of the game's logo and you've got the role in the bag. Here's the real logo for reference. Here is also the Japanese logo if you wish to be super analytic, though the English logo should be used as the main reference for obvious reasons.
The game's Wii remake uses a different logo, so if you wanna get creative, you can also use these as reference too. Though in a perfect world, I'd choose something more faithful to the original. English, Japanese.
Please note that I'm also in talks with a personal friend of mine who's decent at graphic design so I may end up casting offsite.
*Say something you think would fit*
