Akira Terao takes revenge in the upcoming "Samayou ha (Wander at the Edge)"

by Chris MaGee

Here's a newly announced film for fans of intense drama. Director Shoichi Mashiko has stepped behind the camera to helm Toei's screen adaptation of Edogawa Rampo Prize and Naoki Prize-winning author Keigo Higashino's bestselling 2004 novel "Samayou ha (Wander at the Edge)".

The dark revenge novel that sold over 100 million copies in Japan centers around Shigeki Nagamine, played in the film by veteran actor Akira Terao (Half a Confession, Casshern), a nuclear engineer who suffers every parent's worst nightmare. His 15-year-old daughter is killed by a group of teenage boys, but the criminal justice system protects them because they are juveniles. When he discovers the whereabouts of the boys who took his daughter's life Shigeki feels that he's left with no other choice but to seek justice himself.

While a few of you may already be familiar with Keigo Higashino who novel "Himitsu (The Secret)" was adapted to the screen in 1999 by "Departures" director Yojiro Takita, and whose writing formed the basis for last year's blockbuster film "Yogisha X no Kenshin (Suspect X)", you may not be familiar with director Shoichi Mashiko. Mashiko previously penned the screenplay for Isao Yukisada's 2000 film "A Closing Day", but only made his directorial debut last year with "No-mu: In the Dense Fog of Love", a character driven piece about the confessions of a group of people drinking at a bar.

A thorough search online only turned up the above promo still featuring Terao as the vengeful father, but as soon as a trailer pops up we'll definitely let you know. Production on "Samayou ha (Wander at the Edge)" began in November with Toei shooting for a Fall 2009 theatrical release in Japan.

Thanks to Variety Japan for the heads up on this.