Sun, October 21, 2007 (8:28pm EDT)
The fantasy trading card game Aquarian Age is becoming a live-action film next spring. It will be directed by Hidetaka Tahara, who has handled music videos for major artists such as Kumi Koda and Orange Range.
The card game was launched in July 1999. Since then, the franchise has expanded to other media, including an anime series in 2002.
The film will star 15-year-old actor Dori Sakurada as the protagonist, Kaname Kusakabe. Sakurada has previously played the lead role of Ryoma Echizen in the "Prince of Tennis" musicals.
The card game was launched in July 1999. Since then, the franchise has expanded to other media, including an anime series in 2002.
The film will star 15-year-old actor Dori Sakurada as the protagonist, Kaname Kusakabe. Sakurada has previously played the lead role of Ryoma Echizen in the "Prince of Tennis" musicals.
Sun, October 21, 2007 (8:03pm EDT)
Hinako Ashihara's popular manga series "Sunadokei" is being turned into a movie, directed by Shinsuke Sato. It was adapted as a daytime drama on TBS this past spring, starring Megumi Sato. It averaged 6.7% ratings (peaking at 9.1%), which is high for its time slot.
"Sunadokei" focuses on the first love of An, a young girl who moves to the Shimane Prefecture with her mother after her parents divorce. Because the storyline spans fourteen years, the main roles require multiple actors. The movie stars Nao Matsushita as the adult An, while Kaho plays the same character during middle school and high school. Similarly, the male lead will be played by Shunya Isaka and Sosuke Ikematsu.
The movie will be shot in Shimane for a month starting on the 27th. Filming will move to Tokyo in late November and is expected to wrap up in mid-December. Toho plans to release the film in April.
"Sunadokei" focuses on the first love of An, a young girl who moves to the Shimane Prefecture with her mother after her parents divorce. Because the storyline spans fourteen years, the main roles require multiple actors. The movie stars Nao Matsushita as the adult An, while Kaho plays the same character during middle school and high school. Similarly, the male lead will be played by Shunya Isaka and Sosuke Ikematsu.
The movie will be shot in Shimane for a month starting on the 27th. Filming will move to Tokyo in late November and is expected to wrap up in mid-December. Toho plans to release the film in April.
Sun, October 21, 2007 (6:56pm EDT)
NEWS member Shigeaki Kato will star in a retelling of the famous story "Sanshiro Sugata," about a young judo student. Originally a novel written by Tsuneo Tomita in 1942, it spawned several film and television adaptations. The most notable one was the 1943 movie, which was Akira Kurosawa's directorial debut. The last adaptation was a 1978 series on NTV starring Hiroshi Katsuno.
The new "Sanshiro Sugata" is a two-hour drama special, set to air on TV Tokyo on December 6. Although the show will be making use of wires and CGI for the action scenes, Kato is currently undergoing special judo training for his role.
The cast includes Jun Kaname (as Sanshiro's final opponent), Noriko Nakagoshi, and Yuika Motokariya.
The new "Sanshiro Sugata" is a two-hour drama special, set to air on TV Tokyo on December 6. Although the show will be making use of wires and CGI for the action scenes, Kato is currently undergoing special judo training for his role.
The cast includes Jun Kaname (as Sanshiro's final opponent), Noriko Nakagoshi, and Yuika Motokariya.
Sun, October 21, 2007 (5:30pm EDT)
Fuji TV's new drama series "Galileo" is making its way into theaters next year, it was announced on Sunday. The series got off to a good start last week with a 24.7% viewership rating for its premiere episode, and the network hopes the movie will be one of its big hits for 2008.
"Galileo" is based on the "Tantei Galileo" novel series by popular author Keigo Higashino. Last year, Higashino won the Naoki Prize and other literary awards for "Yougisha x no Kenshin," the first full-length story in the series. That work is the basis for the movie.
The film will be directed by Hiroshi Nishitani, one of the directors for the television series. This is his second movie - he previously helmed the 2006 "Kenchou no Hoshi" (also known by the titles "Star Reformer" and "The Star of Prefecture Government"), which starred Yuji Oda and Kou Shibasaki.
Shibasaki will also star in "Yougisha," reprising her role in "Galileo" alongside Masaharu Fukuyama. The rest of the main television cast is reportedly appearing in the film as well, including Kazuki Kitamura.
The story involves a man named Tetsuya Ishigami, a mathematical genius and high school teacher who has fallen in love with a bento vendor. When he finds out that she and her daughter committed a murder, he helps them out by constructing the perfect alibi.
Filming is scheduled to begin within the first few days of the new year. Theatrical release has been slated for the fall.
"Galileo" is based on the "Tantei Galileo" novel series by popular author Keigo Higashino. Last year, Higashino won the Naoki Prize and other literary awards for "Yougisha x no Kenshin," the first full-length story in the series. That work is the basis for the movie.
The film will be directed by Hiroshi Nishitani, one of the directors for the television series. This is his second movie - he previously helmed the 2006 "Kenchou no Hoshi" (also known by the titles "Star Reformer" and "The Star of Prefecture Government"), which starred Yuji Oda and Kou Shibasaki.
Shibasaki will also star in "Yougisha," reprising her role in "Galileo" alongside Masaharu Fukuyama. The rest of the main television cast is reportedly appearing in the film as well, including Kazuki Kitamura.
The story involves a man named Tetsuya Ishigami, a mathematical genius and high school teacher who has fallen in love with a bento vendor. When he finds out that she and her daughter committed a murder, he helps them out by constructing the perfect alibi.
Filming is scheduled to begin within the first few days of the new year. Theatrical release has been slated for the fall.
