ryuganji: film news from japan

Next year, Japanese-Taiwanese actor Kaneshiro Takeshi will be seen in his first Japanese film since the patchy sci-fi “Returner” in 2002, but unfortunately it won’t be that mooted Onimusha movie. Instead he’ll be starring in an adaptation of Isaka Kotaro’s novel “Shinigami no Seido” (Accuracy of Death), about a music-loving death god named Chiba who spends seven days with humans to determine whether they’re worthy candidates for the chop. He always wears white gloves, spends his spare time listening to music in CD shops, and has never seen a blue sky because it rains wherever he goes… which makes it sound a lot closer to “City of Angels” than “Death Note”. Ugh.

Other cast members announced so far are Yakusho Koji’s girlfriend in ‘Retribution’, Manami Konishi (owner of the most unsettling spider-like eyes in Japanese showbiz), Ishida Takuya, Mitsuishi Ken and Terajima Shinobu’s mum, Fuji Sumiko. Directing is Kakehi Masaya, an up-and-comer whose “Canned Beauties” (Bijokan) was one of Midnight Eye co-founder Jasper Sharp’s faves of 2003. That film’s also worth noting for a rare cameo by “Firefly Dreams” and “Starfish Hotel” director John Williams.
　　
Nippon Television is producing, and Warner Brothers will distribute the flick nationwide in spring 2008. (source: Cinematopics)