Japan audiences are less than a week from the premiere of Gachi Boshi helmer Kan Eguchi’s new film, The Fable, and the campaign has been pretty amply paced thusfar since rolling out its initial teasers last December.
Nippon TV launched sales in Hong Kong earlier this year, based on Katsuhisa Minami’s Weekly Young Magazine publication since 2014 and features Samurai’s Promise and Library Wars franchise star Junichi Okada.
Your slightly offbeat neighbor might actually be an assassin on vacation.
As his nickname implies, the Fable is an enigmatic assassin who terrorizes the underworld. The overworked assassin gets an order from his boss.
“Live the life of a normal man for one year. Kill anyone during your vacation and I kill you.”
In incognito, the Fable is given the name, “Akira Sato” and his partner is “Yoko.” They start their new lives as a regular brother and sister with a pet parakeet and part-time work, etc.
The assassin begins to enjoy a normal life with no body counts but troubles come looking for him. Other assassins are after him and others need his help.
The Fable must survive a life-or-death situation without killing anyone. Can he ever get his peaceful life back…?
That premise speaks naturally to the production’s title song of choice – none other than recording artist Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”, the title track of her 2011 album, so don’t be surprised if you see that mentioned going forward in any reviews from here on.
The Fable will also have its North American premiere as the Centerpiece Presentation of this year’s 18th New York Asian Film Festival which kicks off one-week after the film’s Japan release. Much to the delight of those attending the festival in the next few weeks, Eguchi himself will be present as well, as noted by the festival’s Jordan Raup whose announcement cites the following:
The film captures the spirit that has sustained NYAFF over the years: a sprightly combination of action and pop comedy that never takes itself seriously but never completely leaves its brain at the door.
The Fable also stars Fumino Kimura (Iwane: Sword of Serenity), Koichi Sato (Aircraft Carrier Ibuki), Sota Fukushi (Blade Of The Immortal, Bleach) and Mizuki Yamamoto (Black Butler, Maxman franchise), with Yuya Yagira and Jiro Sato (Gintama 1 & 2), Osamu Mukai and Ken Mitsuishi (You, Your, Yours) and Ken Yasuda (Come On Irene). The film is written by Yusuke Watanabe (Attack On Titan 1 & 2, Joker Game) and features action choreography by Alain Figlarz (Lucy, The Transporter Refueled, Taken 2 & 3).
The final trailer is available in the player above. Check that out along with the film’s behind-the-scenes featurette with a clearly visible Mr. Figlarz among the crew, the film’s “Born This Way” promo, and the latest poster all below.
