Live Action SAKAMOTO DAYS Film Reveals Shinya Kote, Hinako Sakurai, Kenjiro Tsuda and More as New Cast Members

The live action SAKAMOTO DAYS film, set to open on April 29, has announced five new cast members including Shinya Kote and Kenjiro Tsuda.

Shinya Kote Takes on Boiled in Fan Favorite Battle

Shinya Kote will play Boiled, a hard boiled assassin who shares a complicated past with Taro Sakamoto from their time at the Japanese assassin training institution. Boiled lives by the motto of never taking a life other than his target.

Regarding his appearance in the film, Kote shared that director Yuichi Fukuda personally contacted him asking if he could handle action scenes. When he heard the project was SAKAMOTO DAYS, he momentarily wondered if he was being offered the role of Sakamoto, joking that he was gently told otherwise because Sakamoto slims down when he fights. Although he had no boxing experience and was not physically built like the character, Kote trained intensively for three months to prepare for the action scenes opposite Meguro, who plays Sakamoto.

The battle between Taro Sakamoto and Boiled was previously selected by Meguro in a Weekly Shonen Jump feature as the number one best bout from the original manga. In the film, Kote brings Boiled to life in what promises to be a fierce showdown.

Hinako Sakurai and Shintaro Anzai Join as Elite Assassins

Hinako Sakurai plays Obiguro, a karate master who partners with Boiled as part of a combat focused assassin duo. Marking her tenth anniversary since debut last year, Sakurai expressed her excitement at joining a hugely popular shonen manga adaptation and taking on the role of a powerful assassin. Known for portraying more delicate heroines in shojo based works, she revealed that this role required continuous challenges, including building her physique for the first time and tackling full scale action scenes. The dynamic teamwork between Obiguro and Boiled is expected to be a highlight.

Shintaro Anzai portrays Tatsu, a silver haired assassin who uses a specially crafted poison as his weapon. He said he was so surprised by the offer that his heart nearly leapt out of his chest, but he was equally happy. Describing the project as a collaboration between SAKAMOTO DAYS and director Yuichi Fukuda, he promised an action comedy that faithfully embodies and further elevates the original manga.

Koji Kato and Kenjiro Tsuda in Key Roles

Koji Kato takes on the role of the ruthless boss of the assassin organization to which Shin once belonged. An old acquaintance and longtime supporter of director Fukuda, Kato reflected humorously on their decades long relationship and joked about growing his hair to match the manga character, only to receive harsh criticism from the public about his hairstyle. In the film, he portrays the cold hearted leader who sends Shin to target Sakamoto after branding him a traitor who retired from the organization without permission.

Kenjiro Tsuda plays Asakura, the head of the Asakura Research Institute who took in the young esper Shin. Tsuda commented that he was grateful to portray Director Asakura with visuals carefully crafted to stay faithful to the original work, which allowed him to smoothly enter the world of SAKAMOTO DAYS. He added that he is greatly looking forward to seeing the completed film.

About the Live Action Adaptation

Directed by Yuichi Fukuda, the film adapts the manga SAKAMOTO DAYS by Yuto Suzuki, currently serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump by Shueisha. The story follows former legendary assassin Taro Sakamoto, who leaves the underworld after getting married and now runs a neighborhood store with his family. However, he becomes the target of former enemies. In the live action adaptation, Meguro portrays Sakamoto’s dual nature, shifting between a 140 kilogram plump appearance and a sharply honed form when he enters serious combat mode, taking on superhuman action sequences.

Source : ORICON NEWS