Interest

ERASED Creator Draws Manga Featured in Film Adaptation

Satoru Fujinuma, the protagonist of ERASED, is a struggling manga artist. He's drawn the superhero manga Fight! Wonder Guy, but can't get it published, and still must work as a pizza deliveryman to make ends meet. The film adaptation of this story, which was released in Japanese theaters on March 19, features a neat bonus: an actual Wonder Guy book, drawn by Kei Sanbe, the creator of the original Erased manga, himself. Additionally, theater patrons can read the manga as part of a booklet sold to promote the movie in theaters.

Despite producing a Fight! Wonder Guy manga, Sanbe otherwise had minimal involvement with the film's production. "I trusted them and thought it would be fine if I left it to them," he explained. "With both the anime and the [live-action] film, I wanted them to make it as they liked, and told them to please interpret [the story], including [the concept of] 'Revival,' as they liked." He proclaimed himself satisfied with the results, and was "very pleased" with the presentation of elements he found important, such as the meal scenes.

The ERASED film opened at second place in the Japanese box office.

[Via Anime! Anime!; Image from Comic Natalie]