More Live-Action Rurouni Kenshin Castmembers Announced

Three new castmembers for the 2012 live-action adaptation of Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin Samurai manga were announced on Tuesday. Keishi Ōtomo is directing the samurai film starring 22-year-old actor Takeru Sato (Kamen Rider Den-O, Rookies, Beck, Ryōmaden) as the titular character.

Takeru Sato as "Kenshin Himura"

The new cast members are:

• Yosuke Eguchi (Shonan Bakusozoku, Tokyo Love Story) will be “Saito Hajime” who is a rival of Kenshin. This character is based on the real-life personage who was the captain of the third unit of the Shinsengumi, and he is written as a dark hero in the manga. Eguchi commented, “I hope that the audience would be able to feel some kind of roots of Japanese through ‘Rurouni Kenshin’.” This will be the first time for Eguchi to work with the director, Otomo Keishi.

Yosuke Eguchi as "Hajime Saitō"

• A musician and actor, Kikkawa Koji  (Let's Dance With Papa, Kamen Rider W) will be playing “Udo Jin-e” who has a strong desire for killing people. He has his own aesthetic on killing, and is willing to do anything to achieve his end.

Kikkawa Koji as “Udo Jin-e"

• Lastly, Kagawa Teruyuki (From Up on Poppy Hill, 20th Century Boys) will be “Takeda Kanryu” who is a cold-blooded industrialist. One of the most memorable scenes of this character would be where Takeda shoots the Gadling gun at his mansion, and it will be shown in the movie.

Kagawa Teruyuki as “Takeda Kanryu”

The 17-year-old actress Emi Takei will play the heroine Kaoru Kamiya in next year's film. 

Emi Takei as "Kaoru Kamiya"

In August, the The October issue of Shueisha's Jump Square magazine announced Yuu Aoi (Hana and Alice, Honey and Clover) as Megumi Takani, Munetaka Aoki (The Last Message Umizaru, live-actionThe Girl Who Leapt Through Time) as Sanosuke Sagara, and Taketo Tanaka as Yahiko Myōjin. The film's staff held an open casting call for volunteer extras in the film last July.

Yuu Aoi as "Megumi Takani"

Munetaka Aoki as "Sanosuke Sagara"

Taketo Tanaka as "Yahiko Myōjin"

The Sankei Sports newspaper reported that the staff aims to release the film internationally and eventually make a series. This will be the first live-action adaptation of the manga. Warner Brothers Pictures Japan is producing the film with its president William Ireton, and shooting began in July. Studio Swan (Paradise Kiss) is in charge of the actual film production. Hisashi Sasaki, deputy director ofShueisha's Shonen Manga group, posted four photographs from the set of the film in August.

Watsuki's original 1994-1999 manga ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine and the resulting 28 compiled books volumes have 50 million copies in print. The manga inspired a television anime series that is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. Viz Media published the manga in North America, and Media Blasters'AnimeWorks label released the television anime.

ADV Films released two later original video anime projects and a film on DVD, and Aniplex is releasing these three titles on Blu-ray Disc this year. in April, Shueisha announced that a new Rurouni Kenshin anime project has been green-lit.

Live-action movie “Rurouni Kenshin” is scheduled to be released in summer 2012!

Source:  ANN & tokyohive