The two part Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno/The Legend Ends isn’t the only upcoming movie based on a Japanese comic book. Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Godzilla: Final Wars, Midnight Meat Train) is directing a live action adaption of the incredibly popular Lupin III manga.
First things first, Lupin III is not a sequel to Lupin II, as no such thing exists. The title a is reference to the main characters name: Arsene Lupin the third is the part-Japanese, part-French descendant of the famous fictional thief Arsene Lupin, created by French author Maurice Leblanc. Lupin III, like his predecessor is a expert thief wanted worldwide.
In anticipation of Lupin III’s release in Japanese theaters August 3o, 2014, several promotional images (coming to us from Film Smash) showing off the live action versions of the main characters have been released.
First off, Oguri Shun as the man himself, Lupin III.
Next Tetsuji Tamayama as Lupin’s partner in crime, crack shot with any gun, and eternal smoker, Daisuke Jigen.
Go Ayano as Lupin’s other partner, the modern day samurai, Goemon Ishikawa XIII.
Tadanobu Asano as Lupin’s arch rival, Inspector Koichi Zenigata.
And, Meisa Kuroki as Fujiko Mine, Lupin’s love interest and rival thief.
This isn’t the first time Kitamura has handled a film version of manga. In 2003 his adaptation of the comic Azumi was released, followed in the same year by an adaptation of Sky High.
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