Kyaa~~ it has been finally confirmed!!

Kou Shibasaki (28) and Arashi member Kazunari Ninomiya (26) have been chosen to star in Fuminori Kaneko’s “Ooku,” a live-action film adaptation of the manga by Fumi Yoshinaga. This will be the first jidaigeki film that either has starred in.

Yoshinaga’s “Ooku” is a historical fiction set during the Edo period. A mysterious disease strikes Japan’s male population, reducing their numbers to a fraction of the female population. As a result, the traditional gender roles are overturned, with women becoming the dominant members of society and men becoming valued for their ability to produce offspring.

In the story, the shoguns of the time are actually women, and the “ooku” (the “inner chambers” of the shogun’s castle) consists of thousands of men rather than women. Shibasaki plays the role of the shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune, while Ninomiya plays a young man named Mizuno who enters the ooku.

The movie, said to have a budget of 1 billion yen, covers only the first of the 5 manga volumes released so far. However, producers are considering turning “Ooku” into a series of films.

“Ooku” opens in theaters on October 1, 2010.

From Tokyograph

The official website and CM has been released:

Looks intensely dark and awesome! I especially intrigued by the plot and the Samurai period (have become an growing interest to me since I watched The Last Samurai). Who can resist a man with a blade, ne! :P I’m also quite fond of Kou Shibasaki’s acting and now she’s co-starring in a drama special and movie with our two beloved Arashi boy, definitely a dream come true. Just cannot wait to see Nino is a historical costume and looking forward to the series of films.

Now off I go searching for the Ooku manga, just one more series that I need to read along side with Gantz. Our Mr. Prankster is going to be mecha busy next year with two movies, ganbatte!! :)

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