Hayato Ichiharato gets a dye job for his upcoming role in "Saru Lock"

by Chris MaGee

It's Thursday, so that must mean there's another manga adaptation. I often think that if the manga industry in Japan either went on strike or ceased to exist the Japanese film industry would cave in just a few short months after simply from the sheer number of film projects that are based on the weekly comics. This time around Anime News Network has word that television network NTV has plans to not only bring Naoki Serizawa's manga "Saru Lock" to the small screen, but to the big screen as well (and that's the movie theatre big screen not your 52" plasma TV screen).

22-year-old actor Hayato Ichihara, star of the recent Japanese box office blockbuster "Rookies", has been tagged to play Yatarō "Saru" Sarumaru, a tough looking, kid with spiky white hair who can't get a date, but who's got an innate talent when it comes to picking locks, in a TV drama set to premiere on NTV in July. Ichihara's "Rookies" co-star Sousuke Takaoka will appear along side him in the series, playing Yamada Saru's longtime friend and cop. Following the usual trajectory of manga adaptations NTV also has plans to follow up the series with a feature film with Ichihara in the lead. At this stage, though, there's no director attached or release date scheduled.