Classic anime/manga goes big in live-action
Lupin III is one of Japan’s most popular multimedia franchises, originating in 1960s manga and branching off into anime series and feature films. But it hasn’t seen the light of day in live-action since the late-70s – until now, in a new feature from Godzilla: Final Wars and Metal Gear cutscenes director Riyuhei Kitamura.
The newly released full trailer offers fans their best looks yet at the live-action cast; which includes Go Ayano as the samurai Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Tetsuji Tamayama as marksman Daisuke Jigen, Tadanobu Asano (“Hogun” from the Thor movies) as Inspector Zenigata and model/actress/singer Meisa Kuroki as femme fatale Fujiko Mine. Shun Oguri – who has appeared in previous live-action manga adaptations like Detective Conan and Great Teacher Onizuka – has the lead role of Arsene Lupin III, a globe-trotting master-thief/adventurer and great-grandson of French author Maurice Leblanc’s famous gentleman-thief character.
While Lupin III remains a hugely popular franchise in Japan and other Eastern territories, it has only had sporadic exposure in the United States, where it is probably best known via the animated feature The Castle of Cagliostro and the re-airing of the 1977 anime series on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The film will debut in Japan in August, with eyes on a broader international release afterwards.
Source: Cinema Today
