Tokyo International News Agency

The highly anticipated live-action film adaptation of the popular soccer manga "Blue Lock" has announced that actor Masataka Kubota will portray the pivotal character Jinpachi Ego, generating a massive buzz on social media. With the official release of the poster visual, fans have showered praise on Kubota's appearance, calling it "Jinpachi Ego himself" and marveling at the "unbelievably high level of authenticity." Expressions like "too perfect," "a perfect fit," and "divine casting" have flooded X (formerly Twitter), with many users expressing their delight at Kubota's selection. Comparisons have also been drawn to Hiroshi Kamiya, who voices Jinpachi Ego in the anime, with comments such as "Masataka Kubota's Jinpachi Ego is so Hiroshi Kamiya-esque," celebrating the appeal of both actors. Kubota's cool and intense performances in previous works come to mind, sparking expectations like, "His acti...

It has been announced that actor Tetsuta Sugimoto will play the role of Anji Todan, a blind gunman, in "Golden Kamuy: Abashiri Prison Raid Arc," the sequel to the live-action film "Golden Kamuy," which is set to be released on Friday, March 13, 2026. This casting news has generated a significant buzz on social media. According to information released on the official X account as "Friday's Golden Kamuy," Tetsuta Sugimoto's character, Anji Todan, is described as "a gunman living in darkness with strong vengeful feelings." The released visual faithfully reproduces the character's signature hearing aids on both ears, a feature from the original manga, and its high fidelity is already drawing considerable attention. On X (formerly Twitter), a flurry of enthusiastic comments such as "too luxurious," "casting is too good," "awesome!," and "fits perfectly!" have been pouring in regarding this casting. F...

It has been announced that actor Yu Inaba will portray Tokishige Usami as a new cast member in the live-action film "Golden Kamuy: Abashiri Prison Raid Arc," set to be released on Friday, March 13, 2026. This casting news has generated significant buzz on social media. Tokishige Usami, played by Inaba, is a popular character known as the Seventh Division's most "intense" or "dangerous" man, deeply devoted and fiercely loyal to Lieutenant Tsurumi. He is also affectionately known by fans as "Running Mole-kun," and his unique personality is greatly loved by original manga fans. Following this casting announcement, X (formerly Twitter) was flooded with comments of surprise and joy, such as "I-I-Inaba Yuuuhhhhhh!!!" "I never expected Inaba Yu to be cast, oh my god!!!" and "I'm so happy I'm crying." Many also noted Inaba's visual resemblance to the character, commenting, "He totally has Usami's fac...

It has been revealed that the film "Kokuhō" has achieved a "historic feat" as a Japanese live-action film, surpassing 7.47 million viewers and 10.5 billion yen in box office revenue in just 73 days since its release. This record marks the first time a Japanese live-action film has exceeded 10 billion yen in 22 years, since "Bayside Shakedown 2" (17.35 billion yen), released in 2003. Furthermore, it has carved its name into Japanese film history by ranking third in the all-time Japanese live-action box office rankings, following "Nankyoku Monogatari" (Antarctica) (11.0 billion yen), released in 1983. The film, which lead actor Ryo Yoshizawa describes as "a special movie for me personally," has captivated many viewers since its release. It is a work that condenses the passion of "Team Kokuhō," who were involved in its production, from the overwhelming performances of Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama, to the art direction, costu...