'Free! High Speed: Starting Days' cast event to take place in Tokyo in March 2017

After Kyoto Animation announced the release of the DVD and Blu-ray of the chart-topping animated movie “Free! High Speed: Starting Days" on April 20, a special fan-meeting event which will star the cast has been confirmed. The event will be held on March 19, 2017 at Ryogoku Gokugikan, an iconic indoor sumo stadium located in Sumida, Tokyo.

According to the official High Speed website, the "seiyuu" or voice actors who are expected to be at the event are Nobunaga Shimazaki (Haruka Nanase), Tatsuhisa Suzuki (Makoto Tachibana), Toshiyuki Toyonaga (Asahi Shiina), Kouki Uchiyama (Ikuya Kirishima), Satoshi Hino (Nao Serizawa) and Kenji Nojima (Natsuya Kirishima). However, the lineup is subjected to change. A special priority ticket was included in the first batch of the Blu-ray and DVD. Other freebies include a reversible disc cover, an exclusive art book with words from the cast and staff, character cards featuring each of the protagonists, and a set of the ending cards found in the previews.

On January 17, a fan event took place in order to celebrate the success of the movie produced by Kyoto Animation and Animation DO. Out of the all the leading voice actors, only Shimazaki, Uchiyama, Toyonaga and Nojima were present.

"High Speed: Starting Days" is based off a best-selling light novel written by Koji Oji and illustrated by Futoshi Nishiya. The movie is a prequel to the popular sports anime entitled "Free!" which revolves around protagonist Haruka Nanase and his love for swimming. Set in the town of Iwatobi, which was inspired after Iwami, Tottori, Haruka and his best friend Makoto Tachibana struggle with growing pains as they drift apart in their middle school. The young protagonists are then joined by Asahi Shiina and Ikuya Kirishima. Together, the four build their own relay team and learn how to work as one.