By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)
The live-action feature film adaption of Tatsunoko Productions’ animated creation, Hurricane Polymar, might be closer to premiere than you think. Officially announced earlier by Tatsunoko in November, the teaser trailer made its debut yesterday. The film is set to release in May, 2017 and will coincide with the 55th anniversary of Tatsunoko Productions, an animation company founded by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida and brothers Kenji and Toyoharu (who has written under the pen name “Ippei Kuri”). Among the many titles Tasunoko has been responsible for are Mach Go Go Go (Speed Racer), Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (Battle of the Planets, G-Force), and Tekkaman: The Space Knight.
The live-action feature of Hurricane Polymar is being directed by Koichi Sakamoto (Ultraman Ginga S Movie Showdown! The 10 Ultra Brothers!). Sakamoto started his career as a movie stuntman and choreographer before attaching himself to the North American Power Rangers licence. It was with Power Rangers that Sakamoto used his talents to become a successful action director and producer.
Junpei Mizobata (I Am a Monk, The Wings of the Kirin) will play as the title character. Yuki Yamada (Tomorrow I will Date with Yesterday’s You, Pirate Squadron Gokaiger), Mikie Hara (Anonymous Detective, Age Harassment), and Yurina Yanagi (Higanjima: Love is Over, Seishun tantei Haruya) will also star.
Hurricane Polymar is based on the 1974 anime series of the same name. The series followed Yoroi Takeshi (voiced by Sogabe Kazuyuki), one-half of a failing private investigation firm whose partner Kuruma Joe (Aono Takeshi) proclaims himself the heir apparent to the greatest fictional detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes. Since they have few clients and are always months behind on their rent (and get hounded by building owner Nanba Teru for it), they resort to eavesdropping and spying on the Secret International Police Department headquarters.
Unbeknownst to Kuruma or Nanba, Yoroi is secretly the son of the International Police Chief. Yoroi is also the keeper of the Poly-Met, a polymer helmet that when donned transforms him into the superhero “Hurricane” Polymer. While wearing the helmet, Hurricane possesses incredible fighting abilities and superhuman strength. As Polymer, Yoroi teams up with Kuruma as they protect the city of Washikyo from evil organizations, criminal gangs, mutants and monsters.
Source(s): Gwyn Campbell, Vintage Anime Fans Facebook group, Anime! Anime!, Kōtarō Nakase, Anime News Network, and My Anime List.
