Ryuhei Matsuda puts on his hip-waders for Sabu's "Kanikosen"

by Chris MaGee

Here's a scoop that showed up on Jason Gray's blog that had me kicking myself for putting the website on a break for the holidays. Okay, it's only a photo, but it's the first official look at Sabu's screen adaptation of Takiji Kobayashi's 1929 Marxist novel "Kanikōsen".

As we reported back in November "Kanikōsen" chronicles the uprising of a crew of a crab fishing boat against their cruel captain. The fisherman then form a union only to have it broken by authorities. The novel was republished to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the birth of it's author, but then quickly became a surprise bestseller, mostly with young Japanese working low-paying part-time jobs.

At the time that this film version was announced Sabu (a.k.a Hiroyuki Tanaka) spoke of his intentions of using "modern pop influence in its costumes and design" in telling the story and it looks like he wasn't kidding. Ryuhei Matsuda (above center) and cast in black PVC hid-waders? This looks like it's going to be the most fashion forward crab boat on the high seas.

More on "Kanikōsen" as details leak out.