The popular detective drama "Aibou" is getting a spinoff movie. The news comes only a couple months after the first film opened in theaters, though it has been so successful that it is still currently playing on screens nationwide. Titled "Kanshiki: Yonezawa Mamoru no Jikenbo," the spinoff revolves around supporting actor Seiji Rokkaku rather than the drama's leads, Yutaka Mizutani and Yasufumi Terawaki. This is Rokkaku's first starring role.

Rokkaku plays the forensic analyst Mamoru Yonezawa, a role that started out with only two lines of dialogue back when "Aibou" first aired in 2000. Over the years, he has arguably become the most popular supporting character in the drama, based on popularity polls, an appearance in a Lipovitan D commercial, and a novel published in April that is serving as the basis for the spinoff. As the main character, he will be teaming up with a detective played by actor Masato Hagiwara, who is making his first appearance in the "Aibou" universe.

The project is being directed by Yasuharu Hasebe, better known as the pioneer of the "violent pink" genre of the 1970s. The movie began filming on July 3 and is scheduled to finish early next month. TV Asahi and Toei hope to release the film next spring.

Meanwhile, "Aibou" continues to bring in audiences across Japan. As of Sunday, the film has taken in close to 4.4 billion yen, making it the #1 picture for the first half of 2008.