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Hitoshi Iwaaki's Parasyte Sci-Fi Manga Gets 2 Live-Action Films in 2014-2015
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
Hitoshi Iwaaki's Parasyte (Kiseiju) science-fiction horror manga is getting two live-action film adaptations by director Takashi Yamazaki (live-action Space Battleship Yamato, Always: Sunset on Third Street). The first film is slated to open in Japan in December 2014, and the second film will open in 2015.
Shōta Sometani (live-action xxxHOLiC, All Esper Dayo!, pictured center in image at right) will star in the films as Shinichi Izumi, Eri Fukatsu (Onnanoko Monogatari, pictured right) will play Ryōko Tamiya, Shinichi's teacher who has a Parasite take over her body, and Ai Hashimoto (Blood-C: The Last Dark, live-action Another, Sadako 3D, pictured left) will play Satomi Murano, Shinichi's classmate and childhood friend. Ryūta Kosawa (Always: Sunset on Third Street, Shōnen H) is writing the films' scripts.
New Line Cinema had hired director Takashi Shimizu (Ju-on/The Grudge) to direct a Hollywood live-action adaptation of the film in 2005. Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, and Matt Drake were slated to write the film's screenplay. New Line Cinema's contract for the film expired earlier this year, and TOHO acquired the rights after dozens of companies vied for them.
Iwaaki serialized the manga in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine from 1990-1995. The 10-volume series (later reprinted in an eight-volume version) has more than 11 million copies in print.
The manga takes place in a world where alien beings called Parasites come to Earth and start taking over humans by entering in through their noses and ears and attaching themselves to their brains. One alien called Migi is only able to take over high school student Shinichi Izumi's right arm, and is unable to control Shinichi completely. Migi and Shinichi learn to co-exist, and the two battle other Parasites who see humans only as food.
Mixxine, the company that eventually became Tokyopop, published Parasyte in its Mixxine magazine and later in compiled book volumes. Del Rey then republished the series from 2007-2009, and Kodansha Comics republished the manga again from 2011-2012.
Source: Eiga.com
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