New cast members have been announced for "Kingdom 2: To the Faraway Land," the sequel to the 2019 blockbuster film "Kingdom," a live-action adaptation of Yasuhisa Hara's popular manga. Amane Okayama, Takahiro Miura, and Takayuki Hamatsu will join Nobu (played by Kento Yamazaki) and Qiang Kai (played by Yana Kiyoyana) as members of the "Corporal," a group of five infantrymen who share a common destiny. A new cut of the five infantrymen gathered together was also shown. Based on the manga "Kingdom" (Yasuhisa Hara/Shueisha), which is set in the Spring and Autumn Warring States Period of China in B.C. and depicts on a grand scale a young boy, Nobu, a war orphan with a dream of becoming a great general, and a young king, Eimasa (later Qin Shi Huangdi), who aims to unify China. As of February 2022, a total of 64 books have been published, with a cumulative total of over 87 million copies in circulation. The movie "Kingdom" was released on April 19, 2019, and its box-office revenue exceeded 5.73 billion yen, making it the number one Japanese live-action movie released in 2019. The film had a major impact on the film industry, being selected for numerous film awards. Amane Okayama plays the role of Bihei, the older brother of the O brothers, who are from the same village as Makoto and are known as the thug brothers, and has a good-natured yet companionable side to him. Takahiro Miura plays the younger brother, To To, who is calm but has a strong core character and is determined to fight. Takayuki Hamatsu plays Kei Sawa, a corporal who appears unreliable but has survived many battlefields. The sequel takes place six months after the battles of the previous film. The news comes that the neighboring country Wei has crossed the border and launched an invasion, and under the command of Yeongjeong, Qin raises an army to the Snake Gan Plain, the site of the decisive battle, to defeat Wei. Nobu, who goes to the battle as an infantryman, decides to form the weakest five-man squad with his countrymen, the O brothers (O Ping and O To), the unreliable corporal Sawakei, and the child-like Qiang Kai. The general of Wei is General Wu Kei, a war genius who is rumored to be on par with the six generals of the former Qin Dynasty. On the other hand, the general of the Qin Dynasty is General Hyogong, a bold general who is addicted to war and alcohol. By the time Nobu and his men arrive at the battlefield, Wei has taken over a hill that is considered advantageous for warfare, and the war situation is at its worst. Then, Bakkokoshin, who commands the force to which Nobu is assigned, gives a reckless order to charge. I was like Ohei who was thrown into the middle of a fierce battle, and I myself struggled while filming," said Okayama. The film will be released in the summer of 2022. ■Okayama Amane Comment The world of "Kingdom" is magnificent, and like Ohira, who was thrown into the middle of a fierce battle, I myself struggled while filming. I hope that his way of life will be reflected on the screen. I was most honored to be taken on board the big, big boat that Mr. Hara brought into this world and that Director Sato, the chairperson Kento, and all the cast and crew rowed out on. I hope that in this story, which is far removed from the everyday life we live, we will find the fire to survive our everyday life. Takahiro Miura comment I will appear in the movie "Kingdom 2: To the Faraway Land" as Tooru Oto. I never thought I would be able to jump into the world of "Kingdom", so I am just happy. The filming was just as tense and intense as on the battlefield, and I think we have created a hot movie. I am a good friend of Nobu's, as we are from the same hometown and are members of the same gang. I hope you will enjoy watching Oto and the O brothers fight their way through the battle, even if they cannot rely on Nobu's strength. Comment by Takayuki Hamatsu I had never read Kingdom when I heard about it, so I bought the first few volumes and read them and couldn't stop. It is a work that is only worth reading. I am very honored to be a part of it. I don't need to mention those who are already fans, but for those of you who are still somehow passing by Kingdom, please take this opportunity to step into the world of Kingdom, and you will never be able to take it back. (C) Yasuhisa Hara/Shueisha (C) 2022 "Kingdom" Film Partners
【Background】
・Graduated from Kyoto University with a major in Japanese Culture Studies, Faculty of Letters
・After graduation, worked 4 years as editor and proofreader for a print magazine specializing in traditional performing arts and culture
・Became a freelance journalist in 2021 and launched japanculturean.com in 2022
【Expertise】
・Pop-Culture Fusion Analysis
Analytical commentary on how modern pop-culture media (anime, film, fashion) incorporates and reinterprets traditional Japanese motifs.
