The Taisho-nominated and Tezuka Award-winning manga reaches its fourth live adaptation, following three series created between 2018 and 2020
by zettaiLara
It was the year 2016 when, between the pages of the magazine Morning Two Of Kodanshaa report of a live version of the opera appeared Saint Young Men by Hikaru Nakamura; alongside it, one of the two protagonists of the manga wondered “but Will this announcement be true or not?”
The response that arrived shortly after, with the publication of the 100th chapter of the manga, confirmed the project: the 2018 live action TV series released on the Japanese TV channel’s online streaming service PiccomHowever, a was not the only one left. In fact, it was followed by a second series in 2019 and a third of NHK in 2020, all with ten episodes each.
The same cast and staff of these productions are now also reconfirmed for the film announced by Kodansha: the film Saint Oniisan The Movie ~ Holy Men vs Akuma Gundan will arrive on Japanese big screens on December 20th and will be distributed by TOHO.
It is the first adaptation for cinema, which is based on the screenplay “Screen and no nagai michi” (The long journey to the big screen) specially written by Nakamura itself.
The story narrates the absurd modern events of Jesus and Buddha who, tired of the boring afterlife, one day decide to return to earth (specifically to Japan) for a relaxing holiday.
During their excursions the two tourists find themselves faced with the paradoxes of today’s society, and become protagonists of a multitude of absurd themed adventures: the two living together in an apartment, a day at Disneyland, rush hour on the train , Christmas, the public swimming pool complete with water division and much more. Buddha does nothing but complain, since everywhere there are images of him from “when he was fat”, while Jesus goes around with a t-shirt with the words “Dad, me and the Holy Spirit” and the girls stop him to ask him for autographs, sight the resemblance to Johnny Depp.
One day, an uninvited guest visits the two, revealing a shocking secret to them; and this is how we come to face the Holy War in which the Divine x Buddha x Angels x Demons face each other to decide the fate of humanity.
They will therefore once again be the good actors Ken’ichi Matsuyama (Gantz, Death Note) And Shota Sometani (Himizu, Parasyte) to dress the role of Jesus and his dear friend Buddha, directed by Yuichi Fukuka (Gintama).
Curiosity has it that, in the Japanese language, the number 23 is pronounced ‘ni-san’: due to this assonance, the production team has thus opted to announce something new relating to the film on the 23rd of each month, until its release of the film.
While waiting for the first revelations, we can already enjoy a presentation video: it is the round table with which the actors and the director announce the project.
Saint Young Men The Movie: the announcement
The manga Saint Young Men debuted in 2006, taking 13th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize as a short story in 2009 and also the nomination for the prestigious Manga Taisho in the same year. The Neko Awards of AnimeClick they also awarded it as the third best manga novelty of 2013.
We remind you that an OAD was made from the series in 2012, then an animated film in 2013; the manga is being published for Italy by Goen.
Sources consulted:
Anime News Network
Comic Natalie
Mydramalist
Original version of the news
