March Comes in like a Lion Part 1 & 2 to Have International Premiere

Following the premiere of March Comes in like a Lion Part 1 in Japan on March 18, which won acclaims, March Comes in like a Lion Part 2 is released today in Japan. Surprisingly, both films will premiere in the coming Shanghai International Film Festival and the director Keishi Ohtomo is likely to appear in Shanghai and meet with his legions of admirers.

March Comes in like a Lion 

Directed by:  Keishi Ohtomo

Written by:  Keishi Ohtomo / Ryôhei Watanabe  / Yuko Iwashita

Starring: Ryunosuke Kamiki / Kasumi Arimura / Kana Kurashina / Sometani Shota

Genre: Drama

March Comes in like a Lion tells a story of Kiriyama Rei, a lonely 17-year-old professional shogi player who has lost both of his parents, who gradually matures, recovering the lost love and happiness after encountering three sisters of the Kawamoto family - Kawamoto Akari, Kawamoto Hinata and Kawamoto Momo.

The film is adapted from the comic March Comes in like a Lion created by Chica Umino, the writer of the healing masterpiece Honey and Clover, who enjoys a very high popularity in Japan. The animation with the same name directed by Akiyuki  Shinbo, known as the master of Japanese animation also evoked a strong response after it went on air last year. Therefore, the production of the film version has been a matter of great attention since its inception.

Honey and Clover

The director Keishi Ohtomo is a very popular master in film adaptations of comics in Japan in recent years and has directed the famous Rurouni Kenshin trilogy and The Top Secret and Museum released last year. In his films, you can often see the most popular stars: from Satoh Takeru in Rurouni Kenshin, Ikuta Touma and Okada Masaki in The Top Secret, to Oguri Shun and Tsumabuki Satoshi in Museum, who have a large number of followers in Japan. March Comes in like a Lion, which is divided into two parts is no exception.

Keishi Ohtomo 

Known as the teenager from the two-dimensional space, Ryunosuke Kamiki started out as a child star, his beautiful and lovely appearance made him the prototype of a number of comic works and he gained recognition in the entertainment industry at a very young age, which won him multiple new actor awards. This kind of experience of teen fame was also valued by the director Keishi Ohtomo who explained: "Ryunosuke Kamiki has been active on the stage as a professional actor in his childhood which makes him a lot like Kiriyama Rei in terms of personality.”

Ryunosuke Kamiki

And Kasumi Arimura, who is called “Village Bell” by the Chinese audience has also enjoyed soaring popularity in Japan in recent years and has become a new generation box office guarantee. Released in China last year, Flying Colors hit 20 million yuan at the box office in just 4 days with more than 2.8 billion yen at the local box office in Japan.

Kasumi Arimura

In addition to the two popular leads, the film\'s supporting lineup can also be called luxury. Japan\'s popular talented actor Sometani Shota will break through the original image in the film and play the part of the chubby "lifelong rival” of the leading actor, Harunobu Nikaidō. Takahashi Issei, who is known by the young Chinese audience for Quartet, Ryo Kase, who starred in Honey and Clover, as well as Hideaki Ito, the talented tough actor etc., will appear in the film. What sentiment will the cast and crew with both strength and popularity bring to the audience? It is a sure thing to be looking forward to.