Blue Rock, the live-action version of the hit soccer manga, has announced its ensemble cast ahead of its global release at the European Film Market in Berlin through Goodfellas’ sports label Round 12.
Toho has decided to strategically time the film to coincide with the Soccer World Cup, with a theatrical release on August 7th on approximately 350 screens in Japan. The main character, Yoichi Isaki, will be played by Fumiya Takahashi (“Kamen Rider Zero-One”), and the cast includes Kaito Sakurai, Kyohei Takahashi, Kota Nomura, Yu Aoki, Sho Nishigaki, Yuki Tachibana, Raizo Ishikawa, Joey Iwanaga (“Alice on the Edge”), Shunya Asano, Yuki Sakurai, and Yuki Kura (“Shogun”).
Japan Academy Award winner Masataka Kubota plays Jinpachi Ekago, an eccentric architect who launches a training program in name only. Kubota’s credits include Takashi Miike’s Thirteen Assassins, Death Note, First Love, and the upcoming second season of Shogun.
Written by Tetsuo Kamata, directed by Yusuke Taki. Director Taki has previously directed the Netflix original “Love and Deep Water” (2023) and the Disney+ limited series “Tanabata Land” (2024).
The film depicts 300 high school soccer players who enter a ruthless secret training facility created by the Japan Football Association to develop the world’s best strikers. There can only be one winner, and losing means permanent expulsion from the Japanese national team. The story centers around an unknown player, Isagi, competing against 299 contestants.
Blue Rock, written by Muneyuki Kinjo and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura, has sold over 50 million copies in 24 languages since its debut in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine. Overseas sales account for a quarter of total distribution, with North America and France being the main markets. The property produced a 2022 animated series on Crunchyroll, with viewers 35% North American, 25% European, and 25% Latin American. The theatrical anime “Blue Rock Episode Nagi” recorded box office revenue of approximately $23.3 million worldwide.
The live-action version will be produced by Kodansha and Credeus. The latter produced the “Kingdom” and “Golden Kamuy” series, as well as the Oscar-nominated film “Kokuho.” Daisuke Matsui, a former Japanese national team player, will serve as the soccer supervisor. The Japan Football Association and the J League are also fully cooperating.
Goodfellas sells worldwide except Japan, Taiwan, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, CIS, and Syria.
