What meant to be a report on actress Emi Takei on Monday brings instead news of a new live action film in progress for the classic shounen series, “Rurouni Kenshin” a.k.a. “Samurai X.”
The shounen series by Nobuhiro Watsuki released its first live action film in 2012, directed by Keishi Ōtomo. In the course of its run in Japan, the film earned a total of $36 million. When it was released worldwide it earned a profit of over $60 million by November 2012 and in December 14, 2012, the film was made as the opening selection for the 2012 LA EigaFest.
The main cast of the film included:
Takeru Satoh as Kenshin Himura
Emi Takei as Kaoru Kamiya
Munetaka Aoki as Sanosuke Sagara
Yu Aoi as Megumi Takani
Taketo Tanaka as Yahiko Myojin
Yosuke Eguchi as Hajime Saito
As for the staff, there are mainly:
Director: Keishi Ootomo
Producer:Osamu Kubota
Screenplay: Kiyomi Fuji and Keishi Otomo
The report which inadvertently revealed the making of the 2nd live-action film was Takei’s announced breach in contract by marrying Exile band member Takahiro and getting pregnant. Contracts stipulating, marriages, pregnancy and even divorce are not uncommon amongst for females who work in the talent industry.
Before the announcement it was said that Takei had agreements with around 10 companies for commercials and other works. Now it is said that it is most likely her agreement with the SSP company will be terminated while her other commercial agreements will be affected.
Negotiating on the breach of contract is Takei’s agency, Oscar Promotion, whom also made their apologies to its clients on Sunday. It is noted that her penalty might reach up to 1 billion yen (about US$9.11 million) but at the same time her role as the heroine Kaoru Kamiya could not be written out, and thus came the news of the production.
Other than its first live-action series, two sequel films titled Kyoto Inferno and The Legend Ends released in August and September 2014.
The series which the film is based on, is fully know as, “Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story”, and is a 1994 shounen manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The story which the film also took on, tells of an alternate of the 11th year of the Meiji period in Japan and the adventures of one Himura Kenshin. Once an assassin of the Bakumatsu (military government), he takes his leave and a new name after his work with the bakufu.
With a new name to mark a new life, Kenshin becomes a wandering swordsman and makes a vow to never take another human life, thus beginning his journey of protecting people.
Source: AnimeNewsNetwork