A live-action film adaptation of Taro Nogizaka’s psychological thriller manga Natsume Arata no Kekkon (Natsume Arata’s Marriage) is set to release in Japan on September 6, 2024, following the official announcement on the movie’s Twitter account and opening of the official website.A teaser trailer narrated by voice actor Megumi Ogata (Shinji Ikari in Neon Genesis Evangelion) was also released, and featured below.
Teaser visual
Yuya Yagira (Toshiro Hijikata in the Gintama live-action film series) is cast as the protagonist, Arata Natsume, while Yuina Kuroshima (Lan Fan in Fullmetal Alchemist live-action film series) plays the main heroine, Shinju Shinagawa.Yukihiko Tsutsumi, known for his directorial works for popular Japanese TV drama series, such as TRICK and SREC, serves as director. “I was intrigued by the mysterious, thrilling, and unpredictable storyline of the original manga, but I was even more fascinated by Arata and Shinju’s pessimistic but intense search for love,” Tsutsumi said on the film’s website. “In the film adaptation, I worked hard with the actors to somehow bring the unique characters depicted in the original manga into three dimensions.”
Manga 1st volume cover
The original manga from Taro Nogizaka ran in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Superior from June 2019 to January 2024 and published 12 tankobon volumes. The series has printed 2.4 million copies in Japan and won the Special Award in the comics division of the Next Manga Award in 2020.The story centers on Arata Natsume, an employee at a child guidance center. He visits 22-year-old Shinju Shinagawa, who is on death row and is known throughout Japan as the serial killer “Shinagawa Clown.” He asks her to marry him to get to the bottom of the case at the request of the bereaved family.
Source: “Natsume Arata no Kekkon” live-action film official website / Twitter©Taro Nogizaka/Shogakukan ©2024 “Natsume Arata’ no Kekkon” Film Partners
