ryuganji: film news from japan

The manga-based movies keep coming thick and fast - here’s two more that might interest you.

The first is Takahashi Hiroshi’s (not the “Ring” screenwriter) 32 million-selling “Crows“, about feuding high school tough guys. “The Neighbor No. Thirteen”’s Oguri Shun, “Dead or Alive”’s Yabe Kyosuke and “Train Man” Yamada Takayuki are installed in the lead roles, with a little-known director by the name of Miike Takashi directing for Toho. Seriously, the guy’s got to stop hogging all the work and start collecting stamps or something.

Takahashi reportedly refused several approaches from movie companies seeking adaptation rights while it was being serialised in Gekkan Shonen Champion over an eight-year period from 1990 (its sequel “Worst” is currently running in the same publication), but eventually gave in to the persistence and passion of producer Yamamoto Mataichiro, who started out working on the 1970s TV adaptation of “Lone Wolf and Cub” before realising such films as “The Man Who Stole the Sun”, “Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters” and “Azumi”. He’s also involved with Jae-young Kwak’s upcoming “Cyborg Girl” (previously covered here).

The movie’s story is an original one that takes place before the events of the manga, which accounts for its title “Crows Zero”. Oguri plays Takitani, a transfer student who attempts to take over Suzuran Boys High School and is mentored by old boy yakuza Katagiri (Yabe) as he faces off against rival Serizawa (Yamada). Over 800 actors were auditioned for the roles, and the manga’s Wikipedia page also claims Miike mates Kishitani Goro and Endo Kenichi will also appear. Filming began earlier this month. (source: Nikkan Sports)

Meanwhile, 15-year-old newcomer Fuse Toshiyuki was chosen from 3,000 hopefuls to play baseball-mad protagonist Taniguchi Takao in an adaptation of Chiba Akio’s “Captain“.

Taniguchi transfers from prestigious Aoba Gakuin to lowly Sumitani Junior High and is immediately made captain of its puny baseball team, but becomes a pariah when it’s discovered that he only warmed the bench at his former school. To regain the trust of his teammates, he devotes himself to a spartan training regimen with the help of his father.

The Seattle Mariners’ Ichiro is a self-professed fan of the comic, which was published in Gekkan Shonen Jump from 1972 to 1979 and made into an anime series and movie in the 80s. DVDs of “Captain” and its sequel “Play Ball” were sales successes upon their release, and the recent moves of several prominent Japanese players to the major leagues are cited as another reason for the manga’s adaptation as a live-action film after all this time.

In pursuit of greater realism for the baseball scenes, author Chiba and the film’s producers decided to refrain from using CGI and cast the players from an open call aimed at actual baseball-playing kids, whose batting and pitching skills were tested during their auditions.

Original video and “Gun Crazy” series stalwart Muroga Atsushi is to direct, while Kakei Toshio (”Bayside Shakedown”, “Drive”) has been cast as Taniguchi’s father and winsome TV tarento Kobayashi Mao plays a counsellor. Principal photography began in March last year and took about a month to complete, with a release set for August this year. (source: Sponichi)