Ready to help ring in your samurai action needs is director Yakumo Saiji (Mars, The Dark Maidens) with his latest adapted spectacle, Touken Ranbu: The Movie. Last month’s teaser was a treat in the wake of a raft of character images that have since gone viral and now we have an official trailer to whet the appetite some.
Based on DMM Games’ collectible card online game and proceeded by a raft of successful stage plays, the story is set in the 21st century where a sage is tasked with birthing eight legendary swords into gender-fluid bishonen warriors to stop historical revisionists from undoing the Honnoji incident, and continuing warlord Nobunaga Oda’s reign.
Actor Suzuki Hiroki leads the mixed-bag cast comprised with talent from the hit stage show that’s been keeping the fandom going; Aramaki Yoshihiko, Kitamura Ryo, Wada Masanari, Iwanaga Hiroaki, Sadamoto Fuma, Shiina Taizo and Hirose Tomoki also star with Yashima Norito, and actor Yamamoto Koji as the 16th century feudal lord.
The film, opening January 18 from Toho Visual, is written Kamen Rider Kiva TV series scribe Kobayashi Yasuko, and now hosts Nishikawa Takanori’s title track, Unbroken, featuring musician Hotei Tomoyasu.
