Gin Tama, also styled as Gintama, is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi. (Photo : Facebook/Manga Fox)
Hideaki Sorachi's "Gintama" manga has finally been given the greenlight and is ready to be on the silver screen at some point in 2017. Most recent reports claimed that a live-action film adaptation of the immensely popular Chanbara manga is a go with filmmaker Yuichi Fukuda helming the project.
The live-action film will star Japanese actor Shun Oguri, 33, as the eccentric samurai, Gintoki Sakata (aka Odd Jobs Gin), who lives in a fictionalized version of 1860s Japan after being attacked and transformed by aliens, Anime News Network reported. The good news comes just a week after the 30th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine first announced that Sorachi's "Gintama" will have a big announcement on June 4.
Authored by Sorachi, "Gintama" began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump on Dec. 8, 2003. Set in Edo, the series follows the life of Gintoki Sakata, who works as a freelancer samurai alongside his friends, Shinpachi Shimura, and Kagura, in order to pay the monthly rent.
The original series was one of the best-selling manga in Japan, selling more than 50 million copies. It was then adapted into a full anime TV series in 2006 and 2015, respectively, where it has been noted for its ability to shift between comedy and drama without losing its quality. It has spun off several light novels and video game versions, as well.
Not too many details have been released about the live-action movie, besides that it will begin filming in mid-July. Nonetheless, the live-action "Gintama" movie is slated to premiere sooner or later in 2017.
Recently, many Japanese series get adapted into live action movies and television dramas. One of these is the recent live-action drama adaptation of Akira Hiramoto's "Prison School," which aired on Japan's MBS and TBS on Oct. 26 to Dec. 21, 2015 for nine episodes, Crunchyroll reported.
Produced by ROBOT Studio and MBS, the live-action TV series is based on a formerly female boarding school on the outskirts of Tokyo, Hachimitsu Academy, has decided to admit boys into their system. It is directed by Noboru Iguchi, whose previous projects include the 2014 Japanese horror-suspense film "Live."
The live-action TV drama follows the detainment of the five boys - Kiyoshi Fujino, Takehito "Gakuto" Morokuzo, Jouji "Joe" Nezu, Shingo Wakamoto and Reiji "Andre" Andou - in the school's prison block after they committed voyeurism in the girls bathing area. It heavily focuses on their struggle to stay enrolled in spite of resistance from the Underground Student Council.
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