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: 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.”

[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).

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

Lee B. Golden III

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.

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 appearance this year next to “Guest Of Honor” Miike at Neuchâtel where the film will have its world premiere before screening at Fantasia and releasing wide in Japan the following month. Rounding out the cast are actress Komatsu Nana, and actors Kamiki Ryunosuke, Okada Masaki, Mackenyu, Yamada Takayuki and Iseya Yusuke.

The official trailer has finally arrived, and thus, now teases plenty more of some of the heavy-handed VFX work to further flesh out our heroes and villains just a little more. Take a look!