‘Captain’ manga gets live-action film

Akio Chiba’s acclaimed baseball manga “Captain” is being adapted into a live-action movie. The manga was originally serialized in Monthly Shonen Jump during the 1970s. It has sold more than 13 million tankoubons and has many fans, including pro baseball players. It became an animated series in the 1980s and has had one animated film.

The story follows a middle schooler named Takao Taniguchi who transfers from Aoba Gakuin, a school famous for their baseball team, to Sumiya Nichuu. The baseball club there appoints him as captain, expecting a great player, when in reality he was only a benchwarmer before. Determined not to let them down, he undergoes special training to improve his skills.

The young boys in the movie were chosen through an open audition. Because the production staff wanted to avoid using computer-generated effects, the candidates were also judged on their baseball abilities. From about 3,000 applicants, a 15-year-old named Toshiyuki Fuse was selected.

Filming began in March last year and lasted about a month. Toshio Kakei plays Taniguchi’s father, and Mao Kobayashi plays an adviser. The movie opens in theaters this August.

Source:
Sponichi Annex