Actor Satoshi Tsumabuki (33) will be starring in the movie based on the "legendary baseball team". Vancouver no Asahi (director Yuya Ishii), slated for a December release, is about the next generation of Japanese immigrants in Canada who fought against racism and poverty through baseball in order to inspire and give strength to their fellow immigrants. Joining Tsumabuki are other baseball enthusiasts in the industry such as KAT-TUN's Kazuya Kamenashi (27) and Yusuke Kamiji (34).
The story is based on the actual Japanese-Canadian baseball team "Vancouver Asahi" which existed before the war. They defeated Canadian teams one after another and became a glimmer of hope for the Japanese settlement, and eventually won the favor of the white society.
Tsumabuki plays the role of a Japanese nisei (2nd generation Japanese-Canadian) named Reggie Kasahara, the shortstop of the team who works in a lumbermill. This movie will not be a mere baseball movie but will mostly focus on the drama aspects of the story. The producers' reason for casting Tsumabuki was that they "wanted an actor whom people feel a sense of closeness to, and can easily empathize with". He's the only player in team Asahi who has never played baseball, but he trained hard for the role as the staff said "He was good enough to perform a sidethrow during his first training session."
The rest of the team is made up of talents who have been involved with baseball in one way or another. Former little-league player Kamenashi will be playing the role of the ace pitcher Roy Einishi, while Kamiji who used to be the catcher of the New York Mets' pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka in high school will be portraying Tom Miyake, the team's catcher. 2nd baseman Kei Kitamoto will be played by Ryo Katsuji (27) and 3rd baseman Frank Nojima by Sousuke Ikematsu, both experienced in baseball as well.
Source:
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bg21wS7CQAEGVyo.jpg
http://64.19.142.11/blog-imgs-68.fc2.com/g/e/i/geitsuboo/oth14022005060012-p2.jpg
The story is based on the actual Japanese-Canadian baseball team "Vancouver Asahi" which existed before the war. They defeated Canadian teams one after another and became a glimmer of hope for the Japanese settlement, and eventually won the favor of the white society.
Tsumabuki plays the role of a Japanese nisei (2nd generation Japanese-Canadian) named Reggie Kasahara, the shortstop of the team who works in a lumbermill. This movie will not be a mere baseball movie but will mostly focus on the drama aspects of the story. The producers' reason for casting Tsumabuki was that they "wanted an actor whom people feel a sense of closeness to, and can easily empathize with". He's the only player in team Asahi who has never played baseball, but he trained hard for the role as the staff said "He was good enough to perform a sidethrow during his first training session."
The rest of the team is made up of talents who have been involved with baseball in one way or another. Former little-league player Kamenashi will be playing the role of the ace pitcher Roy Einishi, while Kamiji who used to be the catcher of the New York Mets' pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka in high school will be portraying Tom Miyake, the team's catcher. 2nd baseman Kei Kitamoto will be played by Ryo Katsuji (27) and 3rd baseman Frank Nojima by Sousuke Ikematsu, both experienced in baseball as well.
Source:
http://64.19.142.11/blog-imgs-68.fc2.com/g/e/i/geitsuboo/oth14022005060012-p2.jpg
