Gantz Live Action Movies!

**Contra Fates** · 10-11-2009, 02:21 AM

The NTV News 25 program and Sports Hochi newspaper report on Thursday that Hiroya Oku's Gantz science-fiction action manga will be adapted into two live-action films starring Kazunari Ninomiya (Tekkonkinkreet, Letters from Iwo Jima) and award-winning actor Ken'ichi Matsuyama (Death Note, NANA, The Legend of Kamui). Shinsuke Sato (The Princess Blade, Suna-dokei, Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror) is directing.

The story follows a young Tokyo college student who is reanimated after a deadly subway accident. Kei Kurono (Ninomiya) and his friend Masaru Kato (Matsuyama) go on violent, seemingly endless missions at the behest of an unseen host.

This is the first time that these two well-known actors have worked together. Filming begins next month and is slated to end next April. The two leads have been undergoing training and practicing action sequences. The films will open in the winter and spring of 2011.

Oku just returned from a three-month hiatus to launch the "Final Phase" of his Gantz manga in this year's 44th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine on Thursday. Gantz has been running in the magazine since July of 2000, and the 26 current volumes have sold over 10 million copies.

Dark Horse Comics announced at Anime Expo 2007 that it licensed the manga for North America, and it will publish the eighth volume next month. ADV Films released Gonzo's television anime adaptation of the manga.

According to the Mainchi Shimbun paper, Yūsuke Watanabe (20th Century Boys trilogy, Robo Rock, Bloody Monday, Kami no Shizuku, Yasuko to Kenji) is writing the screenplays. Takahiro Sato (Death Note, 20th Century Boys) is producing the project, and Digital Frontier (Summer Wars, Appleseed, Evangelion: 1.0 You Are [Not] Alone) is in charge of the CG work.

The project is budgeted at 4 billion yen (about US$45 million). Addressing the extremely violent nature of the movie, Ninomiya said, "I'm happy with just appearing in a work that I love so much! I'll try my very best to make everyone love it too!" Matsuyama said, "This work has so many original and bold points. I'm going to try to tackle the challenge of this new kind of movie."

Source: Anime News Network

I'm really excited to hear about this! Gantz is an awesome series, and to see it receive the Japanese, live-action treatment...is awesome! And, for those that are fans of the Death Note live actions, the actor who played L will be one of the starring roles.

What do you guys think? Awesome? Crappy? Let's hear it!

**BlackJack** · 10-11-2009, 10:11 AM

I've only watched the first nine or ten eps, but I liked it.
My friend Blake, who is (more-or-less) a member of The Otaku, forced me to watch it.

To quote The Exploited:
"SEX AND VIOLENCE! SEX AND VIOLENCE!
SEX AND VIOLENCE! SEX AND VIOLENCE!"

So, yeah, my feelings of a live-action Gantz movie is:

**Contra Fates** · 10-12-2009, 12:46 AM

Haha, that is definitely the best way to summarize Gantz. It's still cool, though, and I look forward to seeing how it's visualized in Japanese cinema.

**BlackJack** · 10-12-2009, 01:56 AM

I told my friend that introduced me to Gantz about this.

He said it wouldn't work with the typically subpar special effects that Japanese films have.

I don't know. He may be right, but it could work regardless.

**Fuyumine** · 10-12-2009, 12:49 PM

Are they going to have the random, gratuitous sex scene in the corridor? It's been a while since I've seen the series but I remember that whole scene being random and unnecessary and awesome. LOL.

**Mellusia** · 10-12-2009, 01:18 PM

I can't help but think they're gonna downplay the sex and gore in a live action adaptation-which would be fine for me, since that's the main reason I never watched the series

For real, I couldn't watch past the opening theme 'cause I was too squeamish xD

**BlackJack** · 10-12-2009, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Jack Skellington

I can't help but think they're gonna downplay the sex and gore in a live action adaptation-which would be fine for me, since that's the main reason I never watched the series

Originally Posted by Jack Skellington

For real, I couldn't watch past the opening theme 'cause I was too squeamish xD

Aw, quit yer bellyachin', ya pansy! D<

**Contra Fates** · 10-13-2009, 12:12 AM

It might not be that bad.

Casshern, a Japanese movie, had FANTASTIC visuals, because it was a higher budget film. Gantz has a $45 Million budget, so we might see some decent visuals in it. You never know. xD

**Fuyumine** · 10-13-2009, 11:46 AM

And by visuals you mean giant boobs getting molested in a corridor, right? XD

But in seriousness, though, for an anime that practically no one except us nerds know about, $45 Million is a lot of dough! It really makes me curious as to what they're going to do with it.

**BlackJack** · 10-13-2009, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

And by visuals you mean giant boobs getting molested in a corridor, right? XD

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

But in seriousness, though, for an anime that practically no one except us nerds know about, $45 Million is a lot of dough! It really makes me curious as to what they're going to do with it.

Maybe whoever's in charge of it realized that it was gonna need a lot of cash/SFX to work. :/

**Inu** · 10-13-2009, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by BlackJack

I mean... Hold on a second...

meanwhile...back on topic:
i've never seen Gantz so idk what to think on this.

**BlackJack** · 10-13-2009, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Ju-On

i've never seen Gantz so idk what to think on this.

Go watch it.

**Inu** · 10-13-2009, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by BlackJack

Go watch it.

i will once i get home...and after i'm done playing the crap out of Brutal Legend.

**Fuyumine** · 10-13-2009, 07:38 PM

Maybe whoever's in charge of it realized that it was gonna need a lot of cash/SFX to work. :/

Naturally, LOL. But I don't think Gantz would require THAT much special effects, right? I mean... I'm sure there will be some moments that will call for CG, but nothing too expensive.

Right...? @_@

**Mellusia** · 05-19-2010, 03:00 AM

The NTV News 25 program and Sports Hochi newspaper report on Thursday that Hiroya Oku's Gantz science-fiction action manga will be adapted into two live-action films starring Kazunari Ninomiya (Tekkonkinkreet, Letters from Iwo Jima) of the Arashi musical group and award-winning actor Ken'ichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City, NANA, The Legend of Kamui). Shinsuke Sato (The Princess Blade, Suna-dokei, Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror) is directing.

Taken from Anime News Network

Well what do you know. I wonder if the live-action will be as gory as the anime?

**BlackJack** · 05-20-2010, 03:14 PM

YES. I've watched several episodes of the anime, and I've enjoyed it. And what very little I've read of the manga was also excellent.
I hope they keep the gore and sex, because GANTZ just wouldn't be the same without it.

Also, didn't we have a topic for this already?

**Mellusia** · 05-20-2010, 04:30 PM

Yes, yes we do, and I totally forgot, so merger here we are!

I think the recent news was more about licensing outside of Japan being taken into consideration.

**Contra Fates** · 06-01-2010, 11:57 PM

Wow, those screens don't look too shabby! A few overlays of some blued out tungsten lighting like in Ghost in the Shell might help it out a bit, though. xD

I'm actually looking forward to this! It should be interesting!

**Mellusia** · 06-05-2010, 10:03 PM

Saw this just now:

The manikins are pretty creepy O.o

**Contra Fates** · 06-07-2010, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Mellusia

Saw this just now:

The manikins are pretty creepy O.o

Word! It looks pretty good! I'd definitely watch it, that's for sure. =o It doesn't look like it'll be as graphic as the anime, but, I don't think I'll mind that too much. xD