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French Live-Action City Hunter Film to Open in Japan in November
posted on by Egan Loo
Nicky Larson et le Parfum de Cupidon (Nicky Larson and the Cupid's Purfume), the French live-action film of Tsukasa Hōjō's City Hunter manga, will open in Japan in November. A teaser trailer, featuring the City Hunter anime's theme song "Get Wild" by TM Network, debuted on Saturday to announce the release along with a Japanese teaser visual:
The film has the Japanese title City Hunter the Movie: Shijō Saikō no Mission (City Hunter the Movie: The Most Aromatic Mission Ever) — a triple wordplay on the Japanese word saikō (greatest), kōsui (perfume which is key to the movie's plot), and the heroine Kaori. Nicky Larson is the French title of the City Hunter franchise, as well as the French localized name of the protagonist Ryō Saeba. Albatros Film is distributing the film in Japan.
The film's writer, director, and star Philippe Lacheau said that he was over the moon when Hojo paid him the ultimate compliment after approving the film script — Hojo said the film script and story were faithful to his manga. Hojo himself noted that thanks to the February anime film City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes and now this live-action film, this year has truly become the "City Hunter Year." He added that Lacheau's film is a thrilling, heart-pounding action comedy filled with the director's love.
The manga follows Ryō Saeba, a sniper and a private eye ("sweeper") based in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward with unrivaled marksmanship and an over-the-top obsession for the opposite sex. He serves as a bodyguard and other duties for his clients.
The live-action film version stars Philippe Lacheau as Nicky Larson. Tarek Boudali and Élodie Fontan also star in the film. Philippe Lacheau and Pierre Lacheau wrote the film alongside writer and actor Julien Arruti.
The film sold over 1 million tickets in just two weeks in France in February, before eventually selling over 1.6 million tickets. It opened in France on February 6, and earned €3,111,807 (about US$3,515,249) in its first five days to open at #3 at the French box office. As of February 24, the film earned €8,817,024 (about US$10,031,595), and ranked at #6 in its third week. The movie has also earned about US$150,752 in Belgium.
Hojo's 1985 manga already inspired four television anime series, three earlier anime films, and several video and television specials including a 2015 original anime DVD. ADV Films released most of these anime projects in North America, and Discotek announced in April that it licensed the entire anime franchise including the recent City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes anime film. Jackie Chan starred in a 1993 Hong Kong live-action film that very loosely adapts the original manga. A Korean live-action television series adaptation premiered in 2011, and Hulu streamed this version in the United States.
A separate new Chinese live-action film adaptation has been green-lit.
Source: Comic Natalie
