Kingdom, directed by Sato Shinsuke, is the movie adaptation of a popular manga of the same name by Hara Yasuhira. The story is set in the Warring States Period of Ancient China and depicts the story of a war orphan, Li Xin, and Ying Zheng, who will later unify China and become the first emperor of China. The manga has 53 volumes published to date and has sold over 38 million collected volumes. It was announced that the live-action film will star popular actors, Yamazaki Kento, Yoshizawa Ryo, and Nagasawa Masami.
As Kingdom is an epic depicting the great battlefields of the Warring States of China, fans have long been skeptical over the choice of using popular Japanese actors and actresses.
Director Sato's statement at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan conference appears to have sparked a new wave of fire.
The director confessed, "To tell you the truth, Yamazaki Kento wasn't my choice, it was a decision made by the producers." He also revealed, "'Kingdom was a project for Yamazaki Kento to do in the first place so... I gain nothing from saying this though."
In mega-productions in Japan, the "unspoken agreement" is that entertainment agencies and film company's wishes are given first priority over auditions. It is unprecedented for a director, who has been involved in choosing the cast many times in the past, to publicly declare that he did not participate in the casting.
For that reason, Kingdom fans, who were skeptical of the live-action adaptation, have erupted with comments such as:
"Yamazaki Kento's being gorioshi'd again?"
"If they care about the original work, the director and producers should pick the cast based on solid understanding of the characters."
"Does he have so little confidence in this movie?"
"Isn't he just shifting the blame?"
In particular, Yamazaki Kento received negative reviews from many fans of the original work for his performance in "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable." The fact that they had to abandon hope for a film series adaptation [of Jojo] due to poor box office performance is still fresh in people's minds. Hence, it has been widely discussed among movie fans whether or not this is a repeat of the "JoJo" tragedy.
*The film was released on April 19, 2019. The above article was written on April 17, 2019.
2. [+2288 / -12]
Not surprised.
3. [+3077 / -22]
Aaahh, he said it
4. [+3068 / -13]
Everyone knows so it's fine.
5. [+2865 / -20]
I knew someone would start a thread about this.
Won't he be blacklisted for making statements like this?
6. [+2469 / -32]
That's something you shouldn't say.
7. [+1693 / -20]
Well, [Yamazaki] doesn't suit the character.
8. [+1572 / -13]
KING OF TABOO
9. [+1777 / -50]
It's a Japanese film so I don't have any expectations no matter who they cast.
10. [+4755 / -135]
But you know, that kid's working very hard.
11. [+43 / -381]
But he was fine with Yoshizawa Ryo?
Or is it fine because he's the number one ikemen in the country?
12. [+1459 / -11]
No matter where you look, it's the same people every time.
13. [+2963 / -22]
It's because they cast people like this that people say that Japanese films are no good.
14. [+1849 / -71]
For the director to say that, it's kind of...
Though it's true that [Yamazaki] isn't Xin-ish*.
*Li Xin - main character of Kingdom
15. [+1348 / -11]
Hate or whatever, stop making live-action adaptations!!
16. [+3762 / -158]
Yamazaki Kento has done nothing wrong.
17. [+4264 / -84]
Seems like Yamazaki Kento would be shocked if he heard.
18. [+1828 / -24]
Speaking of live action adaptations of manga, I wonder why it tends to be Zakiyama*
Though he's salty-faced*, he's been in so many manga adaptations, it's hard to tell what his representative work is
*Yamazaki Kento's nickname
*Salty-faced
19. [+1303 / -23]
He said it (lol)
Isn't it supposed to be the unspoken rule?
20. [+932 / -17]
Everyone already knew
21. [+739 / -126]
I don't want them to contaminate Kingdom. I don't want to hear any more.
22. [+1881 / -97]
Poor Yamazaki Kento w
23. [+1061 / -31]
Everyone knows that it's gorioshi
26. [+662 / -36]
I'm sick of gorioshi
27. [+321 / -315]
The director is not at fault
28. [+1492 / -118]
It's not going to make anyone happy so why say such a thing?
29. [+2513 / -163]
I understand how he feels but the statement was immature and rude.
He lacks foresight.
30. [+2479 / -84]
It's not like it's Yamazaki Kento's fault...
He's working hard in action movies in his own way
31. [+2453 / -68]
Yamazaki Kento himself hasn't done anything wrong. He's really pitiful.
He's just been forcibly pushed up into the spotlight as a pretext for the sake of money.
32. [+2026 / -130]
He shouldn't be saying that here.
That's being rude to Yamazaki Kento.
33. [+1086 / -267]
They're trying to publish negative articles but I've seen the trailer and it was good. I couldn't feel the so-called, Young Ikemen Live Action Actor: Yamazaki Kento vibe, at all. I'm not a Yamazaki Kento fan but I think I want to see this movie.
34. [+1410 / -26]
If only Japan picked no-name actors using auditions too...
35. [+913 / -20]
In that case, don't make a film version
The same live-action actors are used everywhere so I've lost the urge to watch.
36. [+1150 / -32]
Then, Director, I would certainly like to hear who you would have chosen.
37. [+1413 / -488]
How should I put it, the ikemen actors nowadays are all lacklustre.
38. [+1055 / -13]
The impression that Yamazaki Kento = Gorioshi
is going to grow even stronger because of this.
Even though the person himself hasn't done anything wrong.
39. [+556 / -15]
Zakiyama probably knows too.
40. [+1269 / -87]
This is probably backup in case it flops. It's so obviously self-preservation. He made a controversial statement that will make enemies, I think it was extremely uncool.
41. [+492 / -70]
Oh, the poster is cool
42. [+798 / -74]
I hate live-action adapter Director Sato
The person who's survived by using nothing but handsome actors is you.
*Sato's previous films have been live-action manga adaptations such as Inuyashiki, I Am a Hero, Bleach, Death Note (2016), Library Wars, Gantz, Sand Chronicles.
44. [+1636 / -109]
Yamazaki Kento has lost weight lately.
His ability stands out more now than when he was appearing in every single romance movie. Although it's late, I'm now addicted.
44. [+923 / -9]
In Japan, the agencies are really powerful
Even if you have wooden acting, if the agency wants to push you, you can easily play the lead.
47. [+644 / -23]
He [Director] probably really hated using Yamazaki Kento.
I'm not a fan, and I don't know the original work, but even I can tell that the lead doesn't fit.
49. [+1062 / -35]
I personally thought that he was really good in Rikuo and Good Doctor so I think that it would be better if he doesn't act in live-action adaptations and sweet romance movies.
53. [+1062 / -35]
He may be over-pushed but he's handsome and his acting is okay so it doesn't bother me.
55. [+428 / -9]
In this article (The Original Creator of Kingdom Gives Yamazaki Kento a Seal of Approval), it says that before they made the film version the producers carried out a marketing survey that asked people, "Who would you like as Xin?" and because "It was Yamazaki Kento's overwhelming win, they chose him," but it's likely that the order is reversed.
I get the impression it was more "In order for Yamazaki Kento to be the lead in a movie, what movie would be good?" and then they pulled in the manga.
62. [+900 / -10]
Which means, it wasn't this:
Let's make a live-action film of Kingdom!
→How's Yamazaki Kento for the lead?
But this:
Let's make a movie with Yamazaki Kento as the lead!
→How does Kingdom sound?
LOL
63. [+254 / -40]
If this turns out to be a big hit, the director's probably going to do a complete 180.
Since his last work was a big flop.
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