The most popular anime blood cells are about to hit the world of live-action this winter.
Live-action anime adaptations are growing by the year, with recent success stories such as One Piece, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Yu Yu Hakusho, and many others helping to round out the roster. Now, Warner Bros Japan is exploring the war that takes place inside of us all as Cells At Work’s live-action movie has released its first trailer. While creating a live-action adaptation of this story might seem far out, the new trailer shows that Warner Bros is sticking to the aesthetic of the classic anime franchise.
To call Cells At Work a success story is putting it lightly, as the manga spawned countless spin-offs despite the fact that the franchise only began in 2015 thanks to creator Akane Shimizu. Despite the main series ending in 2021, with a special focusing on the coronavirus pandemic no less, several spin-offs have continued the franchise by focusing on new cells fighting for their body’s survival. It came as no surprise to see that the popular manga would go on to receive an anime adaptation, as David Production, the production house responsible for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Fire Force, stepped up to the plate.
The Cells At Work live-action movie will arrive this December in Japan, though a specific release date has yet to be revealed. So far, the movie’s cast includes Mei Nagano as Red Blood Cell and Takeru Sato as White Blood Cell. If you haven’t experienced the anime series that focuses on white blood cells, red blood cells, and the bacteria they fight, Cells At Work and its spin-off, Cells At Work Black, are available to stream on Crunchyroll. Here’s how the streaming service describes the franchise: “Strep throat! Hay fever! Influenza! The world is a dangerous place for a red blood cell just trying to get her deliveries finished. Fortunately, she’s not alone… she’s got a whole human body’s worth of cells ready to help out! The mysterious white blood cell, the buff and brash killer T cell, the nerdy neuron, even the cute little platelets — everyone’s got to come together if they want to keep you healthy!”
Based off of the manga series by Akane Shimizu, Cells At Work! announced earlier this year that it would be releasing a live-action film, which just wrapped up its final shooting! The production of the upcoming live-action film version of Akane Shimizu’s manga series Cells at Work! officially concluded on June 29 according to the film’s official Twitter account, which means the live-action project will hopefully be heading to fans soon!
Warner Bros. Japan announced the live-action movie project in March 2023. A screenplay by Yuichi Tokunaga is directed by Hideaki Takeuchi, who has previously worked on numerous commercially successful live-action films based on well-known Japanese manga works, including Mineo Maya’s Fly Me to the Saitama, Tomoko Ninomiya’s Nodame Cantabile, and Mari Yamazaki’s Thermae Romae.
Hideaki Takeuchi released the following message when he heard about the project: “I still vividly remember how surprised and excited I was when I heard about the live-action adaptation of the ‘Cells at Work!’ manga. What is going on inside our bodies that we cannot see every day? I would like to present the daily life of these cells on a grand scale, full of laughter and learning. Since I decided to direct this film, I have become more aware of the cells in my own body in my daily life. We will do our best to create this film together with our many hardworking colleagues. Please look forward to it!”
The filming took place throughout several locations in Japan from April 13 to June 29. These included the Kanto region (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki, etc.), Chubu region (Shizuoka, Yamanashi), and Kansai region (Hyogo, Wakayama). Fun fact: A sacoche, mask case, tote bag, and memo set were given as gifts to the extras who took part in the shooting.
Not familiar with the storyline for the project? Crunchyroll describes the Cells at Work! anime series below: “This is a story about you. A tale about the inside of your body… According to a new study, the human body consists of approximately 37 trillion cells. These cells are hard at work every day within a world that is your body. From the oxygen-carrying Red Blood Cells to the bacteria-fighting White Blood Cells, get to know the unsung heroes and the drama that unfolds inside of you!”
Six volumes of the manga were published after it ran as a serial in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine from January 2015 to January 2021. Two seasons of the TV anime adaptation were shown between 2018 and 2021. Both the release date and the primary cast have not yet been disclosed, but we will keep you updated as more information is made available!
Live-action anime adaptations have grown more in the entertainment industry in recent history. Netflix’s One Piece became successful enough to warrant a second season, currently in production, Lionsgate is working on a live-action Naruto movie, and there are quite a few adaptations in the works from various studios. Warner Bros Japan is no stranger to creating live-action anime projects of its own as the studio has released a new trailer for the upcoming Cells At Work movie. Rather than focus on the anime blood cells, this new trailer also gives us a look at the film’s human protagonists. Cells At Work’s Red Blood Cell will be played by Mei Nagano, while the White Blood Cell will be played by Takeru Sato. As for the humans, Sadao Abe will take on the role of Shigeru Urushizaki and his daughter, Mana Ashida, will be played by Niko Urushizaki. The movie has yet to confirm if it is on its way to North America but it will arrive in Japanese theaters on December 13th.
Cells at Work’s original manga ended with a special chapter in 2023. The franchise has continued thanks to various spin-offs though there has yet to be confirmation that a new anime adaptation is on the way. Luckily, Cells At Work clearly hasn’t been forgotten. If you want a breakdown of the upcoming movie, here’s how Warner Bros Japan describes the live-action adaptation: “The smallest protagonist in film history – a human cell! There are a staggering 37 trillion cells in the human body. Red blood cells that carry oxygen, white blood cells that fight bacteria, and countless other cells work tirelessly day and night to protect your health and life. High school student Niko (Mana Ashida) lives with her father, Shigeru (Sadao Abe).”
The description continues, “Because of Niko’s diligent nature and her healthy lifestyle, the cells inside her body are always working joyfully. Meanwhile, inside Shigeru’s body, the cells are always complaining, exhausted from the brutal working environment, as he leads an irregular and unhealthy life. On the outside they may look like a happy father and daughter, but on the inside their bodily environments couldn’t be more different. As their lively days go on, pathogens start to sneak up on their bodies… The most epic battle in the history of human cells, with the future of Niko and Shigeru at stake, is about to begin!”
Source: AnimeMojo.com, ComicBook.com
