Takao Yaguchi's classic fishing manga "Tsurikichi Sanpei" is going the live-action route with a movie coming out next year. It will be directed by Yojiro Takita and written by Ryota Kosawa, with visuals provided by special effects team Shirogumi.

The manga was originally serialized in Shonen Magazine from 1973 to 1983, and an anime series was produced by Nippon Animation from 1980 to 1982.

13-year-old Kenta Suga has been tapped for the lead, a young boy with a gift for fishing. Tsunehiko Watase has been cast as his grandfather, while Takashi Tsukamoto plays his brother, a pro angler who has returned from the U.S.

According to Toei, plans for a live-action film have been brought up almost every year since the manga started. It is said that even Hollywood offered to turn it into a movie, under the name "Crazy Fishing Boy." Toei finally decided to go ahead with the film, and is hoping to expand it into a popular series like Shochiku's "Tsuribaka Nisshi."

Filming starts on the 25th, with scenes being shot in Akita, Yamagata, and Tokyo. Theatrical release is planned for spring 2009.