Marvel and DC may rule the North American multiplex, but that doesn¡¯t mean their fans have read the source comics. In Japan the opposite is true: The manga comes first and foremost in a media chain that eventually leads to anime, games and, at the end, live-action films.
The latest example is ¡°Bleach,¡± Shinsuke Sato¡¯s live-action adaptation of Tite Kubo¡¯s megahit manga (120 million paperback volumes sold) about a teenage boy who confronts supernatural forces.
The film is a familiar mix of seishun eiga (youth film) tropes and full-bore action set pieces. The latter have become a trademark for Sato, who brought Hollywood-level excitement to ¡°Inuyashiki¡± (2018), ¡°I Am a Hero¡± (2016) and other manga adaptations, if infused with TV drama cliches, the sappy and soapy included.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.