“Fireworks” Japanese Theatrical Poster
Director/actor/comedian Gekidan Hitori (A Bolt from the Blue) is set to direct and write Asakusa Kid, an upcoming biopic that follows the early years of the legendary, multi-talented Japanese celebrity Takeshi Kitano (Outrage Coda, Battle Royale, Hana-Bi).
Asakusa Kid will star Yagira Yuya (Gintama) as Kitano. Also starring is Oizumi Yo (I Am a Hero), who will play Fukami Senzaburo, a comedian who is also known as Kitano’s mentor. The film will be based on the memoir of the same name written by Kitano.
Since his early days of stand-up, Kitano has evolved and diversified. In the 1980s he became one of Japan’s most popular comedians, first as part of a duo called “Two Beats” (thus his “Beat Takeshi” stage name) and then as a solo act with routines that ranged from slapstick to insult humor. His acting career took off, including an appearance in Oshima Nagisa’s 1983 Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. From the early 1990s, so too did his film directing career, including a Venice Golden Lion for his 1997 cop drama Hana-Bi. His directing style has been characterized by long takes, minimal camera movement, brief dialogue, sly humor, and sudden violence (via Variety).
Asakusa Kid is scheduled to stream on Netflix in the winter of 2021.
