Miho Kanno heads up cast of a third screen adaptation of the novels of Takeru Kaido

by Chris MaGee

Takeru Kaido has certainly become a hot property in the Japanese film industry in the past few years. The 48-year-old pathologist and surgeon turned bestselling author has now had two of his novels "The Glorious Team Battista" and "The Triumphant General Rouge" adapted into films by director Yoshihiro Nakamura... actually make that three novels adapted into films.

Word has come down via Nippon Cinema that Kaido's 2008 novel "Gene Waltz" will be turned into a film not by Nakamura this time around, but by Kentaro Otani, director of "Nana". "Gene Waltz" tells the story of Dr. Rie Sonezaki, the "Obstetrics Joan of Arc", who's on a crusade to help women who have difficulty conceiving become pregnant, and when she can't she breaks rules and laws, to have surrogate mothers carry their children, a practice that is universally frowned upon in Japan. Stepping into the role of Dr. Sonezaki is actress, pop star, and all around tarento extraordinaire Miho Kanno. Joining the 32-year-old star in "Gene Waltz" will be Seiichi Tanabe, who will play Dr. Sonezaki's superior, Miho Shiraishi, Nana Katase, Kaho Minami, Jun Fubuki, and Ruriko Asaoka.

Japanese movie audiences can lok forward to getting their third dose of the medical adventures of Takeru Kaido in the fall of 2010. That's when Toei is shooting to have "Gene Waltz" in Japanese theatres.