Anime
Hideki Arai’s SPUNK! Manga Gets Live-Action Film – News
Crowdfunding project also launched for film
Manga creator Hideki Arai announced on Thursday that his SPUNK! manga will receive a film adaptation, penned and helmed by Itoshi no Irene and Mentor writer/director Keisuke Yoshida, next fall. The film will also get a crowdfunding page to fund the project.
The story begins when two polar-opposite women enter the world of sadomasochism (S&M) and become “Mistresses.” Natsuna is the headstrong type who craves to “love” freely. By contrast, Fuyumi is a bookworm who opens her mouth only to mumble “Um…,” “But…,” or “Well, maybe I …”
The crowdfunding project is seeking 3 million yen (about US$20,000), and will end in three months. Yumiko Kagami, the owner of the S&M salon Eureka, is joining the project as an “advisor” on the original manga and the S&M and costume supervisor.
Kadokawa‘s Monthly Comic Beam magazine published the series between 2022 and 2024. Kadokawa shipped the fourth and final compiled book volume in August 2024.
Arai launched the Pi to Po (Pi and Po) manga in Kadokawa‘s Comic Beam magazine on January 9.
Director Kenji Iwaisawa is working on Hina is Beautiful, an anime film adaptation of Arai’s Hina manga. The movie does not yet have a release date, but its pilot version screened at the Cannes’ Marché du Film in May 2023.
Arai’s Itoshi no Irene manga previously inspired a live-action film adaptation by Yoshida that opened in Japan in September 2018. Arai’s Miyamoto kara Kimi e (From Miyamoto to You) manga also inspired a live-action series in 2018.
Sources: Hideki Arai‘s X/Twitter account, Motion-Gallery, Comic Natalie
Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.
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