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Hokuto ga Gotoku's Live-Action Ad Features Takayuki Yamada as Kenshirō
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
PlayStation Japan began streaming a live-action promotional video on Thursday for Hokuto ga Gotoku, Yakuza Studio's Fist of the North Star game. Actor Takayuki Yamada (live-action Gintama's Elizabeth, Bakuman.'s Akira Hattori, Terraformars' Ichirō Hiruma) stars in the ad as a character inspired by Fist of the North Star's Kenshirō.
In the video, Yamada inevitably draws attention as he practices Kenshirō's famous Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken attack at a gym. Yamada then jumps into action to take over massaging a gym patron, and a female employee of the gym (played by actress Yurika Nakamura) approaches him. He tells her to call him "Takashirō," an apparent combination of his real first name and Kenshirō's name. Although her name is Ai Tomori, he uses an alternate reading of the worker's name to interpret it as "Yuria," the name of his Kenshirō's fiancée. The thought of his lost love sends him into a frenzy, causing him to bulk up. Ai protests as Takashirō picks her up and professes his love. Her slap causes him to fall on the floor. He says "I'm already dead," a variation on Kenshirō's well-known catchphrase. As Yamada collapses on the floor, Ai calls him "Takashirō Yamada."
The ad will debut on television on Saturday. Yamada said that the voice was difficult during filming. He had to use a deep and serious voice as well as falsetto to recreate Kenshirō.
The game will ship for PlayStation 4 on March 8 in Japan after a delay. A special PS4 variant featuring art from the game will ship on the same day.
Source: The Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web
