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Tokyo Tribe Live-Action Film Gets N. American Release
posted on by Rachel Mahoney
Los Angeles-based independent production company XYZ Films has acquired distribution rights from Nikkatsu Corporation for the Tokyo Tribe film based on Santa Inoue's 1998 manga. The film will make its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
XYZ Films is representing the film internationally, but the announcement does not include theatrical or home video releases.
The film, written directed by Shion Sono (Suicide Club, Himizu, All Esper Dayo!), will star Ryōhei Suzuki (HK/Hentai Kamen) as Bukuro Wu-Ronz gang leader Mera and hip-hop artist YOUNG DAIS as Kai in the rival gang Musashino Saru. Japanese-American hip-hop artist and singer AI performs the theme song "HOPE -TOKYO TRIBE ANTHEM" with fellow artists YOUNG DAIS, SIMON, and Y'S.
The original manga takes place in the near future in Tokyo where rival street gangs fight each other for turf. When the rivalry between two of the gangs gets more personal, the fighting turns into an all-out war.
Tokyopop published six of 12 volumes of the Tokyo Tribe 2 manga (under the name Tokyo Tribes) in North America. Madhouse adapted the same manga series into the 13-episode Tokyo Tribe 2 anime series in 2006. The film will open in Japan on August 30.
XYZ has also acquired rights to the Yakuza Apocalypse: The Great War of the Underworld film from director Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, Crows Zero, Ace Attorney live action films). The film will premiere in Japan in 2015. The story follows a newbie yakuza member who is disappointed that it is not like the movies and his role model, the most powerful yakuza and also a vampire.
Source: Blu-ray.com
Update: Clarification added. Thanks, Ronin0079.
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