Entertainment Jul. 23, 2011 - 06:57AM JST ( 2 )

TOKYO —

Keiko Toda may not exactly be a household name in Japan, but millions of people around the country would instantly recognize her voice. For legions of Japanese children, her high-pitched squeals are those of Anpanman, the ubiquitous anime character with a head made of bean paste-filled bread. For older moviegoers, her lower speaking voice would conjure up images of Jodie Foster, as Toda has provided Japanese language dubbing for the American actress in over six films.

Toda recently gave her young fans a chance to match a face to the famous voice, as she performed the beloved British cartoon character Thomas the Tank Engine in live voice-over screenings of the new film “Day of the Diesels” at five children’s centers in the tsunami-hit areas of Iwate prefecture. “This is a project to help the children [affected by the natural disaster] enjoy themselves, even if it is just a little,” explained Toda.

Toda will soon have another chance to connect with the little ones, as she heads the committee of this summer’s 19th Tokyo Kinder Film Festival. The festival started as a kid-friendly offshoot of Berlinale in 1992, and has since spread around the world, introducing young movie goers to the best of kids’ films from around the world in a fun atmosphere. “I’m sure that such an experience is essential for children to grow,” Toda says.

The Kinder Film Festival will be held Aug 12-13 at Hibiya Public Hall and Aug 18-21 at Chofu Hall.

Metropolis magazine (www.metropolis.co.jp)