Comic book adapted films and Manga have become the latest rave in Hollywood, generating billions at the box office with the biggest box office smash of them all..."The Dark Knight," which earned over $1 billion internationally.
"Gantz" is an anime/manga series that originated in Japan in 2000 and is critically acclaimed for being gory violent and rather sadistic. Created by Hiroya Oku, Anime News Network announced the anime will be adapted into two live action films. Two actors have signed on for the live action films...Kazunari Ninomiya who starred in "Letters To Iwo Jima" as well as Ken'ichi Matsumaya who appeared in the live action film "Death Note." The director has already been picked to bring the anime to life; Shinsuke Sato.
"I'm happy with just appearing in a work that I love so much," Ninomiya said of working on the project. "I'll try my very best to make everyone love it too!"
Matsumaya was also excited about his addition to the film. "This work has so many original and bold points. I'm going to try to tackle the challenge of this new kind of movie," he said.
Plot Summary:
"Kei Kurono (Ninomiya) is a typical high school student in a selfish world, not caring about anyone other than himself. However when, by chance, he was forced to help out his childhood friend, Katou Masaru (Matsumaya), rescue a drunkard who fell into subway tracks, both he and Katou were killed... Or not. After being run over by the train, they were suddenly teleported to an enclosed apartment with others who recently died. And now their lives are controlled by a mysterious black ball inside the apartment called GANTZ, and they are forced to participate in a "game" of unprecedented danger and horror."
Below is the official trailer of the anime for those not familiar with the ongoing series.
Whispers68: I love anime/manga so I'm looking forward to this adaptation but for some reason with the horrible experience I had with "Dragonball: Evolution," I'm a bit skeptical on films being created from anime/manga series.