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Tensai Bakabon's Akatsuka Inspires Biographical Film
posted on by Egan Loo
The Watarase Film Commission, a non-governmental organization that supports film production efforts in Gunma Prefecture northwest of downtown Tokyo, posted a casting call for a film based on the life of the late gag comedy manga pioneer Fujio Akatsuka (Tensai Bakabon, Himitsu no Akko-chan). According to the posting for extras, Toei and Central Arts are basing the Kore de Ii no da! Eiga Akatsuka Fujio film on Akatsuka Fujio no Koto o Kaita no da!!, the book by Akatsuka's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine editor Toshiki Takei.
Ryoichi Kimizuka (Bayside Shakedown, Nobody to Watch Over Me) wrote the script and Hideaki Sato (The Suspect: Muroi Shinji, The Unbroken) is directing. Filming will last from the beginning of July to the middle of August, and the film is slated to open throughout Japan next spring.
Fujio Akatsuka, the creator of many popular comedy gag manga and one of the earliest magical girl manga (Himitsu no Akko-chan), passed away of pneumonia on August 2, 2008.
Source: Tokyo Extra Notes via Nippon Cinema
