Tatsuya Fujiwara will star in “Ultimate Survivor Kaiji” live-action film
Nov 4, 2008 Artist, Fujiwara Tatsuya, Movie
It has been officially announced that Fukumoto Nobuyuki’s manga series “Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji” is getting a live-action movie adaptation, simply titled “Kaiji.” The film, which will star “Death Note” actor Fujiwara Tatsuya as the gambling protagonist, is the first for director Sato Toya, better known for his work on television dramas such as “Gokusen” and “My Boss My Hero.”
The original comic ran for three series between 1996 and this year, and its 39 tankoubon volumes have sold over 11 million copies. It won a Kodansha Manga Award in 1998, and this past fall and winter it was turned into an anime series.
Kagawa Teruyuki and Amami Yuki have been revealed as additional cast members. The film’s budget is said to be several hundred million yen, and there is a possibility of the movie being expanded into a series. “Kaiji” will be released sometime in 2009.
“Ultimate Survivor Kaiji” was created by Fukumoto Nobuyuki in 1996 and has run as a weekly manga and anime series ever since. It follows the story of Kaiji Itou, a gambler and petty thief who is persuaded to board a gambling cruise in order to pay down a huge debt. Once aboard he has to contend with some pretty shady characters and loads of action.
Tokyograph, J-Film Pow-Wow
