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Naoki Yamamoto's Coming-of-Age Manga Young & Fine Gets Live-Action Film
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Japanese production company Leone announced on Tuesday that it is producing live-action film adaptations of both Naoki Yamamoto's manga Young & Fine and Ryo Hanmura's text short story Tonari no Uchūjin (The Alien Next Door). The two films will open simultaneously early next summer at the Shinjuku Musashinokan movie theater in Tokyo.
The Young & Fine manga depicts a year in the life of Katsuhiko Haino, a high school student in a quiet seaside town. He is dating a girl named Reiko Arai, though they seem hesitant to fully commit to the relationship. One day, a new teacher named Manabu Izawa begins working at their school, and she also finds lodging with Haino's family. They strike up a fast friendhsip, and Izawa hatches a plan to get Haino and Reiko closer.
Yamamoto published the Young & Fine manga in 1992.
Toshiya Kominami, the assistant director for the live-action film of Naoki Yamamoto's Believers manga (which Leone also produced), is directing Young & Fine. Hideo Jōjō, who directed the Believers film, is penning the script for the film. Taisuke Niihara, Yūka Kōri, and Yuki Araho star in the film.
Yūjirō Koseki is directing the live-action Tonari no Uchūjin film, with a script by Shinji Imaoka. The film stars Shōhei Uno, Ōshirō Maeda, Yūka Yoshimura, and Kenta Izuka.
The projects celebrate the 20th anniversary of Leone.
Viz Media released Yamamoto's Dance Till Tomorrow manga in English. Yamamoto's other manga include Arigatou, Happa 64, and Red.
Source: Comic Natalie
