Six months after the announcement of the live-action adaptation of the popular manga "Oshi no Ko," created by Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari, focusing on the entertainment industry, the project has revealed new updates. The drama series will be exclusively available for Prime members on Prime Video starting November 28 at 9 PM. The continuation in the form of a movie will be distributed by Toei and will be released nationwide on December 20. Along with this announcement, a special teaser video and visual were also released.

The original manga, which began serialization in "Weekly Young Jump" in 2020, gained a large fanbase with its unique story involving the fantastical premise of reincarnation as the "Oshi no Ko" (child of a beloved idol), its shocking suspense elements, and its fearless exploration of the complex world of the entertainment industry. The second season of the anime adaptation is also set to air next month.

In the live-action project, the main role will be played by Kaito Sakurai, with other cast members including Asuka Saito, Nagisa Saito, Nanoka Hara, Mizuki Kayashima, and Ano.

The teaser video, which marks the first footage from the project, opens with a live performance scene of the legendary idol group "First Generation B Komachi" surrounded by countless glow sticks. The scene captures the dazzling presence of Ai (played by Asuka Saito), the "perfect and ultimate idol." The atmosphere abruptly changes with the sound of a clapperboard, transitioning the narrative into a different world. Set to the emotional melody of "Ave Maria," the teaser showcases Aqua (Kaito Sakurai), Ruby (Nagisa Saito), Kana (Nanoka Hara), Mem-cho (Ano), and Akane (Mizuki Kayashima) navigating the harsh realities of the entertainment industry.

The teaser highlights the bright and dark sides of the entertainment world, filled with desires, passions, and various intentions. The teaser ends with a shocking scene where Ai is suddenly stabbed, accompanied by the narration, "This story is fiction." The teaser hints at a challenging and unpredictable story, suggesting high-quality visuals and a gripping narrative.

The teaser visual features the main characters, Aqua, Ai, and Ruby, surrounded by a visual representation of the rapidly changing world of social media, where lies and truths intermingle, evoking scenes from the original manga.

■ Staff Announcement, Directors are Smith & Kana Matsumoto, Script by Ayako Kitagawa

It has been announced that the project will be directed by Smith, a popular video director known for working on music videos for a wide range of artists such as Ikimono Gakari, Ketsumeishi, Snow Man, NMB48, Kazuyoshi Saito, Maximum the Hormone, Kishidan, Fujifabric, Little Glee Monster, and Frederic. Smith has a proven track record in drama works, including "Inside Mari" (2017/Fuji TV), "I Want to Hold Aono-kun So Badly I Could Die" (2022/WOWOW), and "Love and Bullets" (2022/MBS), where he has depicted human emotions and nature with humor and originality.

Additionally, Kana Matsumoto, a young and highly regarded director who had her debut feature film "Midsummer's Dream" officially screened in the Forecast section of the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival at the age of 16, will also be participating. Her film "DA DA DA DA SEVENTEEN" won the Jury Special Award and Audience Award in the Off-Theater Competition section of the same festival the following year. She is known for beautifully portraying the fleeting connections between people in works like "At Dawn" (2021) and the drama "If It's With You, I Want to Try Falling in Love" (2023/MBS).

These two highly acclaimed directors will bring their unique strengths to the project, maximizing their skills and vision.

The script will be written by Ayako Kitagawa, known for works such as the "Onna Kudokimeshi" series (2015, 2016/MBS), "Tokyo Love Story" (2020/FOD), "Bicycle Shop Takahashi-kun" (2022/TV Tokyo), the drama series "Yuru Camp△" (2020, 2021/TV Tokyo), and "My Second Aoharu" (2023/TBS). These specialists in beautifully expressing the complexities of human nature will come together to depict the dual aspects of light and shadow in the work "Oshi no Ko."

■ Comment from Producer Ryusuke Imoto of Toei

It's been almost two years since we were entrusted with the live-action adaptation of the beloved original work by Akasaka-sensei and Yokoyari-sensei.

Every day, I face "Oshi no Ko" head-on, filled with the excitement of creation and the overwhelming pressure that never seems to fade. There are times when I even fantasize about returning to being just a fan of "Oshi no Ko," as I was when I first read the original.

We still don't know how much our work will resonate with the world, but we will give it our all to reach as many people as possible. I sincerely hope it touches your hearts.

Finally, I extend my deepest gratitude to the cast, staff, and everyone involved who have gathered together and walked with us through this journey filled with great anxieties and pressures.

Source : ORICON NEWS