mackenyu

A Case For Better Action Movies: KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC, Like The Cosmos, To Each Their Own

I’m a little biased when it comes to some films. I’m especially keen on adaptations of Japanese mangas, given the fascinating source material and their cultural sway they’ve earned in the last century. Knights Of The Zodiac is just the latest to come out of the woodwork of Sony Pictures/Stage 6 Films, and comes with the exciting arrival of Japanese actor Mackenyu who nowadays can be seen reveling in the success of his most recent streaming episodic, Netflix’s “One Piece“. Knights Of The Zodiac, directed by Tomek Bagiński, wasn’t exactly the most critically or commercially well received. It was a box office bomb and fans of the original IP from mangaka Masami Kurumada didn’t take too kindly to the film for each their own reasons, citing anywhere from its derivative treatment of the manga and anime to the overall delivery in scripting and visual effects. The same has been said […]

KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC: Brand New Official Poster Revealed And More!

Lee B. Golden III

Sony Pictures is going hard in the final weeks with its campaign to promote Tomek Baginski’s new film, Knights Of The Zodiac, and they’re following up with a bevy of promotional artwork to help build on the momentum. The artwork features the cast led by Mackenyu (Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable), who takes the mantle for the film’s central narrative stemming from Masami Kurumada’s hit manga, “Saint Seiya.” Based on the international anime sensation, Knights of the Zodiac brings the Saint Seiya saga to the big screen in live-action for the first time. Seiya (Mackenyu), a headstrong street teen, spends his time fighting for cash while he searches for his abducted sister. When one of his fights unwittingly taps into mystical powers he never knew he had, Seiya finds himself thrust into a world of warring saints, ancient magical training and a reincarnated goddess who […]

[UPDATED With U.S. Poster] KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC Teases A Knight In Training In A New Clip

Lee B. Golden III

There are several clips now making the rounds for Tomasz Baginski’s newest film, Knights Of The Zodiac, the latest of which was released on Friday which you can view below. The clip features lead actor Mackenyu in the lead role of Seiya, opposite the portrayal of the Silver Saint, Eagle Marin, portrayed physically by actress and professional stuntwoman Caitlin Hutson (voiced by Asami Seto for the Japan dub release, English VO credit pending). The scene, a training sequence between Seiya and the enigmatic and lithe Marin, pars for the course with Baginski’s adaptation of Masami Kurumada’s hit manga, which takes off as an origin story that centers on a street orphan thrust into an epic war between knights and the evildoers of Mount Olympus to protect a woman believed to be a reincarnated Goddess. Andy Cheng (Marvel’s Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) led the team behind […]

KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC Do Battle In An Exciting Behind The Scenes Featurette

Lee B. Golden III

The latest behind-the-scenes featurette is now online for Knights Of The Zodiac, the ambitious new feature-length adaptation of Toei Animation’s hit 1986 Saint Seiya anime series based on mangaka Masami Kurumada’s best-seller. The footage went live on Wednesday and comes following its showcase at this year’s installment of Comic-Con International: San Diego. Directed by Tomazs Baginski (director of the “Polish Legends” series and executive producer on The Witcher, The Witcher: Nightmare Of The Wolf and The Witcher: Blood Origin), Knights Of The Zodiac stars actor Mackenyu (Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge Of Scar, Fullmetal Alchemist: Final Transmutation, upcoming Netflix series One Piece), son of late action legend Sonny Chiba, in his debut feature role outside of Japan. In the film, according to the official description, Mackenyu stars in the iconic role of Seiya, “a street orphan who is recruited to start a journey in pursuit of the […]

Hasumi Eiichiro’s OVER DRIVE Meet Your Need For Speed In The First Teaser

Lee B. Golden III

Hats off to Wild 7 and Mozu helmer Hasumi Eiichiro whose latest effort marks a nice looking return to the racing genre for Over Drive. Its latest teaser certainly aims high on the octane for a good sample with a release date currently set for June 1 with Higashide Masahiro (Sekigahara) and Mackenyu (Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure) leading the narrative. At the SCRS (Seiko Cup Rally Series), talented young drivers hope to advance to the WRC (World Rally Championship). Hiyama Atsuhiro is the chief mechanic and an engineer at Supika Racing Factory. He is well regarded by his peers. His younger brother is Naozumi. He is an extremely gifted driver for Supika Racing Factory, but he is also a troublemaker. They continually argue because of Naozumi’s reckless racing style. One day, Endo Hikaru becomes his manager. Morikawa Aoi (Ninja The Monster) also stars along with Kitamura Takumi (Destruction Babies), Machida Keita […]

Crazy Diamond Shines In The Official Second Trailer For JOJO’S BIZZARE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE – CHAPTER ONE

Lee B. Golden III

The marketing is a little iffy for me as I’m still trying to get a grasp about what will happen after the August 4 release of Miike Takashi’s JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable – Chapter One. The original fourth chapter in the series and its subsequent anime is pretty sizable and a lot does happen for everything to be told in one film. For this, I personally I hope there’s a sequel. In the meantime, legendary auteur Miike Takashi is at the helm for this, his 101st film adapting Araki Hirohiko’s popular manga with this particular portion centered on a young high school student, a Pompadour-wearing, polite-yet-short-tempered “stand user” whose abilities bear a history with his extended family, ensuing an adventure of murder, intrigue and supernatural danger that lurks in his quiet town of Morioh. Yamazaki Kento stars in the film and will be making his first film festival […]