News

Game Center CX/Retro Game Master Film Teaser References '80s Game & Anime

A teaser trailer and more details from the GameCenter CX (Retro Game Master) film were revealed at a 10th anniversary event at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on Tuesday. The film's full title will be GameCenter CX The Movie: 1986 Mighty Bomb Jack. Rock band Dohatsuten (Ginga Densetsu Weed) performs the theme song "Player I" featured in the teaser. The teaser also features references to Fist of the North Star ("You are already dead"), Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, among other '80s pop culture icons.

The story takes place in Japan in both 1986 and 2006. The 1986 storyline follows a gamer named Daisuke who wants to confess his feelings for Kumiko, a girl he likes — all while trying to reclaim his copy of the Famicom (NES) game Mighty Bomb Jack. In 2006, the hapless game company manager Arino-kachō struggles to complete Mighty Bomb Jack in front of fans. The storylines of the boy who loves Famicom and the middled-aged man who loves Famicom eventually merge into one.

Comedian Shinya Arino is reprising his role as Arino-kachō in the 2006 storyline. When the film was announced in June Arino stated that he would like to be played by either Arata Furuta, Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Satoshi Tsumabuki, or Joe Odagiri. The film also stars child actor Hajime Yoshii and Yūna Taira (Sadako 3D). Masatoshi Kurakata (SaiKano directorial assistant; RAILWAYS Ai o Tsutaerarenai Otona-tachi e; Sekai no Chūshin de, Ai o Sakebu assistant director) is directing the film.

The film is slated to open in theaters in Japan in February. The film poster's tagline reads, "To everyone who loved Famicom."

North American video distributor Discotek Media released an English-subtitled box set of 12 of the GameCenter CX episodes last October. The distributor changed the show's title to Retro Game Master for North American release.

Source: Movie Collection via Nippon Cinema