17-year-old actress Emi Takei has been cast to play the heroine Kaoru Kamiya in next year's live-action film adaptation of Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin samurai manga. 22-year-old actor Takeru Satoh (Kamen Rider Den-O, Rookies, Beck, Ryōmaden) has already been cast as the title samurai himself.
Keishi Ōtomo will direct Satoh on this new film, just as he did in last year's NHK historical television series Ryōmaden. Ōtomo said, "Takei is going to be a big-name actress, without a doubt. She has a innocent-looking face, but she is determined in her work." Ōtomo also noted that he could not think of any other actress who is Kaoru's age at the beginning of the story (17 years old) who can tackle the role.
Takei herself added that she is very delighted to be part of a live-action adaptation of a comic that so many adore, and she will do her best.
Warner Brothers Pictures Japan is producing the film, and filming is slated to begin this month.
Takei starred in the live-action television adaptation of Kaori Akiyama's Asukō March! -Kenritsu Asuka Kōgyō Kōkō Kōshinkyoku- manga for women this past spring. Next year, she will also star alongside Makoto Taiga in the fourth live-action film adaptation of Ai to Makoto (Ai and Makoto), a romance manga by influential 1970s creator Ikki Kajiwara (Ashita no Joe, Kyojin no Hoshi, Tiger Mask). In a survey conducted by Goo on who should play Evangelion's Rei in live-action, she placed 10th.