Blood-Club Dolls - Part 1

Blood-Club Dolls 1[lower-alpha 1] is a 2018 Japanese action horror film based on 2011 anime series Blood-C co-created by studio Production I.G. and manga artist group CLAMP. The film is a first part of the two-part film and was followed by Blood-Club Dolls 2 in 2020. The film is directed by Shutaro Oku, who co-wrote the screenplay with Junichi Fujisaku, and distributed by NEGA. The film stars Ryūnosuke Matsumura, Ryō Kitazano, Kanon Miyahara, Keisuke Minami, and Maon Kurosaki. The film was released in Japanese theaters on October 13, 2018.

Blood-Club Dolls 1
Directed byShutaro Oku
Screenplay by
  • Junichi Fujisaku
  • Shutaro Oku
Based on
Produced by
  • Sennosuke Okumura
  • Seiichi Horiguchi
Starring
CinematographyKentaro Kishi
Music byKōsuke Nishimoto
Distributed byNEGA
Release date
October 13, 2018 (2018-10-13)
Running time
85 minutes[1]
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Blood-Club Dolls 1 is set before the events of Blood-C: The Last Dark anime film (2012), as Saya Kisaragi is continuing her pursuit to find Fumito Nanahara; in the universe Blood-C, humanity is secretly preyed upon a race called the Elder Bairns.[lower-alpha 2] The film focuses on Sōen (who was introduced in The Last Mind stage play), and his underground fightclub called "Blood-Club".[2]

The film marks the second live-action film adaptation for Blood-C series following Asura Girl: Blood-C Another Story (2017), and a third for the Blood franchise since Blood: The Last Vampire (2009).[3]

Premise

"Winners' wishes are granted and losers die in the underground fights at "Blood-Club", which gets shuttered only to spring up in a new spot. The fighters include megastar idols, and big wigs from politics and the underworld frequent the VIP room. But then a police investigation reaches the associates vying for massive power.

Soen, the leader of the arena and govenor Fumito Nanahara's shadows flicker. Michiru, the daughter of the Arisugawa family, who is the center of power, explores their trend in planning something, while strengthing ties with the political world. Soen is fascinated by Michiru, but her eyes gaze at a fight challenger, Aiba.

Saya arrives to Tokyo in a pursuit to find Fumito, but the minions of the Nanahara-clan already have spotted her. Which is the true face of Saya, the obedience or replusion? The police are also in search of Aiba, a missing person who is obsessed with the blood of the Elder Bairns…"

[2]

Cast
  • Ryūnosuke Matsumura as Sōen, the mafia-boss who's running an underground fight club called "Blood-Club" in Tokyo. The character was first introduced in The Last Mind stage play.
  • Ryō Kitazano as Aiba, a young man who went missing, later seen participating in "Blood-Club" underground event.
  • Kanon Miyahara as Saya Kisaragi, a humanoid Elder Bairn that wears a sailor-suited school uniform with a katana that is currently hunting down Fumito in Tokyo. The character was first introduced in the anime series.
  • Keisuke Minami as Fumito Nanahara, Saya's arch-nemesis and govenor of Tokyo. The character was first introduced in the anime series.
  • Asami Yoshikawa as Yuka Amino, a woman who works with Fumito in order to gain political power. The character was first introduced in the anime series.
  • Maon Kurosaki as Michiru Arisugawa, the daughter of the Arisugawa family.
  • Tomohito Yashima as Detective Mito, a detective who's investigating "Blood-Club", and searching for Aiba.
  • Aki Asakura as Mana, Aiba's little sister who is searching for her brother.

Other cast includes Takuya Kawahara as Melody, Judai Shirakashi as Kisanuki, Naoya Gomoto as Ginroku, Junji Shimizu as Higawa Mizunashi, Rie Sakurai as Yumi, Kō Hosokawa as Karajishi, Ren Yagami as Sogabe, Shōta Takasaki as Kōhan, Taishi Sugie as Reiji, Ryosei Tanaka as Kuroda, Yuya Asato as Sukegawa, Dai Hasegawa as Kada, and Yōji Tanaka as Kuzū.

Production

Development

On February 2018, NEGA announced that a new live-action film adaptation for Blood-C is in the works with a new story. Shutaro Oku returned from The Last Mind stage play and Asura Girl to direct the film, and co-writing the screenplay with Junichi Fujisaku, who was involved in majority of Blood-C series. Kentaro Kishi acted as a cinematographer and Sennosuke Okumura also returned with Seiichi Horiguchi co-producing the film.[4][5] On August of that year, the website announced that the film will be a two-part film project.[6][7][8]

Casting

The majority of the actors from The Last Mind stage play and Asura Girl returned for Blood-Club Dolls 1, with Ryūnosuke Matsumura, Kanon Miyahara, Keisuki Minami, and Asami Yoshikawa reprising their respective roles as Sōen, Saya Kisaragi, Fumito Nanahara and Yuka Amino. Ryō Kitazano and singer Maon Kurosaki joined the cast for the film as Aiba and Michiru Arisugawa respectively.[4][5][9]

Filming

The principle photography for this film was done in various areas of Tokyo, Japan.[10]

Music

Kōsuke Nishimoto composed the music for Blood-Club Dolls 1, replacing Kentarō Nakao from Asura Girl.[4][5] Maon Kurasaki provided the theme song for the film, titled "Hazy Moon".[6]

Release

The film was screened in Japanese theaters on October 13, 2018.[6]

Notes
  1. Stylized as BLOOD-CLUB DOLLS 1
  2. Furukimono (古きもの, lit. Old things/Ancient Ones)

References
  1. "BLOOD-CLUB DOLLS 1". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  2. "BLOOD-CLUB DOLLS 1 Story". bloodclubdolls.com/1st (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  3. "BLOOD-CLUB DOLLS 1 Introduction". bloodclubdolls.com/1st (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  4. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (2018-02-07). "CLAMP's Blood-C Gets New Live-Action Film This Fall". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  5. "「BLOOD-C」シリーズ最新作の映画が秋に公開！松村龍之介、北園涼ら出演". Natalie Comic (in Japanese). 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  6. Komatsu, Mikakazu (2018-08-30). "BLOOD-C New Live-Action Film BLOOD-CLUB DOLLS 1 Trailer Posted for October 13 Release". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  7. Komatsu, Mikakazu (2020-06-09). "BLOOD-C Franchise's New Live-Action Film BLOOD-CLUB DOLLS 2 Hits Japanese Theaters July 11". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  8. "映画「BLOOD-C」新作発表、松村龍之介が「僕の初めて捧げまくり」な監督に感謝". Natalie Comic (in Japanese). 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-02-17.
  9. "BLOOD-CLUB DOLLS 1 Cast". bloodclubdolls.com/1st (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  10. "松村龍之介、北園涼、宮原華音らが語る、身体を張った撮影秘話！映画『BLOOD-CLUB DOLLS1』公開". Enter Stage (in Japanese). 2018-10-13. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
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