Miike continues adapting manga to the big screen with "Nintama Rantaro"

by Chris MaGee

Okay, here's something that will have some people getting a bit hot under the collar in the comments... While I was in Frankfurt for Nippon Connection I was talking to a few people (who shall remain nameless) about Takashi Miike. One thing that we all seemed to agree on was that while Miike had made some truly brilliant films ("Audition", "Dead or Alive", "Gozu", and "Happiness of the Katakuris" to name a few) he's also made a lot of crappy films. Hey, when you're making seven or so films a year they can't all be brilliant. We all came to the conclusion that lately it seems that Miike has been churning out high profile manga and anime adaptations that just don't have the edge that his film once possessed. Case in point the latest project with Miike's name attached to it.

Anime News Network is reporting that the 49-year-old director has been tagged to helm a live-action adaptation of the popular anime TV series "Nintama Rantaro" (above). The series, which is based on the Sōbē Amako manga, has been running on NHK for the past 17 years. It follows the adventures of a young apprentice ninja, or nintama, named Rantarou and his fellow classmates as they attempt to master the ninja arts. While Miike will be directing the wackiness behind the camera 8-year-old actor Seishirō Katō will be playing Rantarou in front of the camera. When exactly did Miike go from edgy to wacky anyway?

No official release date for "Nintama Rantaro" has been announced yet, but with Miike attached to the project you know that that will change very soon.