Bokura Ga Ita LIVE ACTION!!!!!

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Famous manga gets a live movie version!

OKAY TOTALLY SPAZZING. One of my fave manga-turned animes just confirmed that it’s going to film a movie version! Bokura Ga Ita “We were There” is an ongoing, widely read romance manga that started in a high school setting. Nana, an ordinary girl falls in love with Yano, Mr. popular ikemen who’s cool, collected and well, has fangirls fawning all over him. While this seems like a totally normal scenario for all high school mangas, you know, the random, clumsy school girl who nabs the prince, Bokura sets itself apart as it combines the usual comedy and quirkiness with dark, intriguing circumstances. Eventually Nana and Yano get together as a couple, but soon insecurities arise as Nana discovers that Yano still hasn’t moved on from his ex-girlfriend who died. And get this, she and the girl have the same name! What are the odds, eh? But wait! There’s more! Apparently, to stab more daggers into Yano’s broken heart, the ex died while she was out with some guy. And after a year, Yamamoto, the ex-girlfriend’s younger sister (and also Nana’s friend), will be an emerging character as someone who is keeping a secret that may ruin Nana and Yano’s relationship. What started out as an innocent relationship turns to one that’s on the brink of betrayal, haunted by loss and insecurities. DUN DUN DUN DUN!!! It seems like a pretty convoluted plot for a manga, but trust me, it’s really addicting. It’s like Koizora (Sky of Love cell phone series) without a terminally ill character, lol. I think it’s still ongoing now, as it’s pegged to be a ten-year story, and I’ve only latched on until their high school years end. Lo, and behold, it’s getting its own movie version, starring a pretty interesting cast:

Yano will be played by Ikuta Toma, while Nana will be played by Yoshitaka Yuriko

Okay. Toma Ikuta makes sense as Yano, but Yuriko, while she’s a good actress and a refreshing one at that, seems kinda off. Nana is supposed to be a little ordinary, yet charming. She may not exactly be the prettiest girl in class, but she’s smart, nice and cheerful. That’s where the insecurity lies. What makes Nana interesting is that she doesn’t have confidence whether it’s against a dead ex-gf or in real life—but Yano still sees something in her and feels an incredible attraction.

Yoshitaka Yuriko

Girl is fierce! She played the leading role (her breakthrough in Jdom) in Snakes and Earrings, a daring and sexual character that highlighted her acting skills and courage to take on such a challenge. She’s also played alongside Shun Oguri and Mizushima Hiro in Tokyo Dogs. It’s gonna be interesting how she interacts with Toma and how she’s gonna downplay her “it girl” image to be the typical high school girl Nana.

Toma Ikuta

I wasn’t surprised that Toma got this role, as he’s always the obvious guy of choice for popular shojo mangas turned to live action. He’s played roles in Hana Kimi, Honey and Clover, and the villain in Hana Yori Dango. But he’s always pulled through with his strong acting and I’m sure he’ll do well as the emotastic brooding Yano. Meanwhile, Takaoka Sosuke will play the role of Yano’s best friend, ‘Takeuchi Masafumi’, and Nanami’s classmate will be played by Motokariya Yuika.

OKAY. Like the KPOP mating season, Japan seems to be milking its manga fame and manga writers’ ideas for movies and dramas. It’s not a new phenomenon or anything, it’s just that it’s prevalent lately. What with Paradise Kiss movie coming up and having watched Kimi ni Todoke, Samurai High and Yamato Nadeshiko. It’s a good year for us manga/anime otakus!