The original work for Cells at Work!'' is a manga serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Sirius” by Akane Shimizu, which attracted a lot of attention for its novel and unique setting that depicts anthropomorphic cells. It became a hot topic when it began serialization in 2015, and in 2017, it was selected by the French newspaper “Le Monde” for its “Recommended Books for Summer” list, attracting attention not only in Japan but also around the world.
The popularity of the series has further increased with the anime adaptation in 2018. Since then, numerous spin-off works have been released, and the series has become a mega-hit, with a total of over 10 million copies in circulation. This live-action film will be the largest-scale Japanese film to depict the “world’s smallest story,” which takes place inside the human body.
On June 11th, the production presentation for this work was held, and it was announced that Mei Nagano and Takeru Sato would be appearing as the long-awaited double lead cast. Nagano plays one of the cute protagonists, who strives to become a fine red blood cell and deliver oxygen to every organ in the body.
Sato will also play the role of another main character who protects the body along with red blood cells, a white blood cell (neutrophil) that eliminates foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses that invade the body from outside. As a “martial-minded” character, Sato also shows off his splendid actions in the play.
The character visuals that were also unveiled are a red blood cell with its trademark red hair and hat, and a large white blood cell with a pure white face and hair. A cardboard box containing oxygen is placed in the background of red blood cells, and a knife used to exterminate viruses is placed in the background of white blood cells, creating an impressive piece.
In addition, in the approximately 1-minute super special, the vast world of internal wonderland unfolds inside the human body, where 37 trillion cells work. There, you can also see red blood cells full of hope and dreaming about the future, and cool white blood cells that exterminate invading bacteria in the blink of an eye. Furthermore, there is a scene where an unprecedented crisis occurs within the body, the “Sneeze No. 1 Rocket” is launched, and the confused cries of red blood cells echo.
The live-action movie “Cells at Work!” will be released nationwide in December 2024, starring Mei Nagano as a red blood cell and Takeru Sato as a white blood cell. I look forward to further updates in the future.
“Cells at Work”
Nationwide release in December 2024
■Distribution: Warner Bros. Pictures
■Original story: Akane Shimizu’s “Cells at Work” (published in Kodansha’s “Monthly Shonen Sirius”)
■Director: Hideki Takeuchi
■Screenplay: Yuichi Tokunaga
■Starring: Mei Nagano, Takeru Sato
(C) Akane Shimizu / Kodansha (C) 2024 “Cells at Work” Film Production Committee
コメント