Ryohei Suzuki and rapper YOUNG DAIS to co-star in Sion Sono’s "Tokyo Tribes"

By kevin on August 15, 2013 at 3:36pm EDT

Actor Ryohei Suzuki and rapper YOUNG DAIS (N.C.B.B.) have been chosen as the co-leads of Sion Sono’s upcoming live-action film adaptation of Santa Inoue’s Tokyo Tribes manga.

Suzuki got his first starring film role in Yuichi Fukuda’s superhero-themed gag comedy HK: Forbidden Super Hero. His Tokyo Tribes role will require him to face the challenge of rapping for the first time in his career.

YOUNG DAIS was hand-picked by Sono from a general audition competition held a few months back in which Sono solicited video submissions via a special .

The film, which marks Sono’s second manga adaptation after 2012’s Himizu, is based on Inoue’s TOKYO TRIBE2 (1997-2005). Like the original manga and subsequent 2006 anime adaptation, it will revolve around a group of young people in a fictitious version of Tokyo, depicting hip-hop street culture.

Suzuki will play Mera, the katana-wielding leader of the street gang Bukuro Wu-Ronz. In order to prepare for using a katana for the first time, he’s been training his arm strength by swinging a wooden practice sword with one hand every day.

Meanwhile, YOUNG DAIS will play the protagonist Kai, a DJ and member of rival gang Musashino Saru.

The soundtrack will be handled by some of Japan’s top rap talent, including music by Japanese hip-hop pioneer Zeebra and top production team BCDMG (Big Crow Dog Music Group).

Filming of “Tokyo Tribes” will begin in late August with a release planned for 2014.

Source: Eiga.com