'Bleach' Live-Action Film Adaptation Latest News: 'Mary and the Witch's Flower' Voice Actress Cast as Rukia Kuchiki
More details have been released for the upcoming live-action film adaptation of Tite Kubo's popular Japanese manga series "Bleach."
The additional information was announced on this year's 10th issue of Shueisha's "Weekly Shonen Jump" magazine that was released last week. According to the report, Hana Sugisaki has been cast to play the role of the shinigami Rukia Kuchiki. Sugisaki has previously played the role of Rin Asano in the live-action film adaptation of "Blade of the Immortal." She also provided the voices of Sayaka in "When Marnie Was There," and Mary in "Mary and the Witch's Flower."
The upcoming film will reportedly adapt the original manga series' first arc titled "Agent of the Shinigami," which is also known by its English counterpart, "The Substitute." It ran for the first 70 chapters of the original manga and made up the first 20 episodes of the anime adaptation that debuted in 2004 in Japan and in 2006 in the US.
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It tells the story of how a 15-year-old guy named Ichigo Kurosaki became the substitute shinigami of Karakura Town after inadvertently interfering with the duties of the town's current shinigami, Rukia. When Rukia had gotten injured by a Hollow that invades Ichigo's home, he was forced to temporarily take Rukia's powers in order to defeat the enemy.
However, Rukia ends up losing all of her power instead of just the part of it she has intended to lend to Ichigo. And while she recuperates and takes on the guise of a normal girl in Ichigo's class, it is up to Ichigo to watch over his own town as Rukia's substitute.
As revealed in a 20-second teaser video, Shinsuke Sato is directing the film. Satou has previously worked on the live-action adaptations of "Gantz," and "Gantz II: Perfect Answer," as well as on the 2016 film, "Death Note: Light Up the New World."
The video also reveals that Sota Fukushi will be playing the role of the protagonist, Ichigo. Fukushi previously took on the live-action roles of Ren Ichinose on "Strobe Edge" and Shun Takahata on "Kami-sama no Iu Toori"
The "Bleach" live-action film is scheduled for release in Japanese theaters on July 20. Fans can watch out for additional information regarding this film on its official Warner Bros Japan page.
