DEATH NOTE`s Kenichi Matsuyama and Tatsuya Fujiwara reunite for the thriller KAIJI: THE ULTIMATE GAMBLER. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing. © 2009 Hit Japanese Thriller Comes to DVD in the UK Source: Organic Marketing Official Movie Site: kaiji-movie.jp (Japan) Special Thanks to Megan Han and Alexandra Beedell
Cover art for the UK DVD of KAIJI: THE ULTIMATE GAMBLER, which goes on sale next week. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing. © 2009 KAIJI: THE ULTIMATE GAMBLER (Kaiji: Jinsei Gyakuten Gemu, 2009) is based on Nobuyuki Fukumoto`s manga Ultimate Survivor Kaiji (Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji) and the 26 episode anime series by Madhouse Studios. The film stars Tatsuya Fujiwara (best known as "Light Yagami" in the DEATH NOTE films) as the titular character and features Kenichi Matuyama ("L") in a key supporting role, marking the first time the two have appeared onscreen together since that hugely successful series. A box office success in Japan (with a sequel planned for next year), KAIJI: THE ULTIMATE GAMBLER will be released on UK DVD (Region 2, PAL) by 4Digital Media on July 26th. Kaiji Ito (Tatsuya Fujiwara) moves to Japan after graduating from high school. Unable to find a job and frustrated with society at large, Kaiji spends his days gambling, playing Asian-themed slot games, vandalizing cars, and drinking. Two years later and his life is no better. But Rinko Endo (Yuki Amami), a debt collector for a shadowy financial consulting firm called Teiai (Love Emperor), unexpectedly arrives to collect payment on a missing friend`s loan that Kaiju had co-signed for years before. Due to an exorbitant interest rate the outstanding debt has ballooned far beyond Kaiji`s ability to pay. She offers Kaiji two choices: spend 10 years paying off the loan and interest, or board the organization`s gambling boat Espoir (meaning "hope" in French) for one night with a chance to fully repay his debt and possibly win a whole lot more. But the unscrupulous Endo is actually conning Kaiji, believing he won`t come back from his voyage. The games are rigged to increase the gamblers` debt and eventually force them into lives of indentured servitude. With his freedom and very survival at stake, Kaiji is up for the night of his life...
20TH CENTURY BOYS` Teruyuki Kagawa plays the evil Yukio Tonegawa. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing. © 2009 KAIJI: THE ULTIMATE GAMBLER
Director: Toya Sato (GOKUSEN) Script: Mika Omori (DETROIT METAL CITY) Original Story: Nobuyuki Fukumoto Executive Producer: Toru Horikoshi Producers: Kazuhisa Kitajima and Yoshinari Shimatani Music: Yugo Kanno and Hirohide Shida Cinematography: Katsumi Yanagishima Visual effects: Ryo Nishimura Production Design: Hiroshi Koike Lighting: Kosuke Suzuki A Toho, NTV, Kodansha, Horipro, YTV, VAP, AX-ON, STV, MMT, SDT, CTV, HTV, FBS Production STARRING Kaiji Ito: Tatsuya Fujiwara (DEATH NOTE, DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME, BATTLE ROYALE 1 & 2) Makato Sahara: Kenichi Matsuyama (DEATH NOTE, DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME, L Change the WorLd, KAMUI, DETROIT METAL CITY) Yukio Tonegawa: Teruyuki Kagawa (20TH CENTURY BOYS trilogy, TOKYO SONATA) Rinko Endo: Yuki Amami (PONYO) Joji Funai: Taro Yamamoto (PRINCESS RACOON, BATTLE ROYALE) Koji Ishida: Ken Mitsuishi (PANDEMIC, 20TH CENTURY BOYS 1) Taro Otsuki: Suzuki Matsuo (ICHI THE KILLER, THE SHOCK LABYRINTH) Kazutaka Okada: Kei Sato (THE RETURN OF GODZILLA)
Who will have the winning hand? Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing. © 2009 DVD DETAILS STREET DATE: 26 July 2010 LABEL: 4Digital Asia REGION: 2, PAL RUN TIME: 130 mins approx CERT: 15 CAT NO: ASIA3816 BARCODE: 5034741381611 RRP: £15.99 LANGUAGE: Japanese SUBTITLES: English SPECIAL FEATURES / EXTRAS Original Japanese Trailer Making of Documentary
Kaiji and the other gamblers must complete dangerous games, including walking a steel beam between the spires of a skyscraper. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing. © 2009