Shinjuku Swan (2015 Film)
Shinjuku Swan is a 2015 Japanese action film directed by Sion Sono. The film is based on the manga series Shinjuku Swan: Kabukicho Scout Survival, written and illustrated by Ken Wakui, which was first serialized in Weekly Young Magazine starting in 2005.
Plot
The story is set in Kabukicho, a prominent entertainment and red-light district located in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The protagonist, Tatsuhiko Shiratori (played by Go Ayano), arrives in the district without money or employment. He encounters a scout named Matora (Yusuke Iseya), who specializes in recruiting women for the adult entertainment industry. After Matora takes an interest in him, Tatsuhiko is introduced to the competitive and often dangerous world of street scouting, eventually becoming a scout himself.
Production
The film was produced by Mataichiro Yamamoto, with a screenplay by Osamu Suzuki and Mataichiro Yamamoto. Principal photography for the production began on April 4, 2014. The film was distributed by Sony Pictures in Japan.
Cast
The film features an ensemble cast, including:
- Go Ayano as Tatsuhiko Shiratori
- Takayuki Yamada as Hideyoshi Minami
- Yusuke Iseya as Matora
- Erika Sawajiri as Ageha
- Nobuaki Kaneko as Yutaka Hayama
- Motoki Fukami as Gensuke Seki
- Kosuke Toyohara as Kami Yamashiro
- Yu Yamada as Ryoko
- Jun Murakami as Tokimasa
- Kotaro Yoshida as Shuzen Amano
- Erina Mano as Eiko
Release and Reception
Shinjuku Swan was released in Japanese theaters on May 30, 2015. The film held its international premiere at the 19th Fantasia International Film Festival, which took place between July 14 and August 5, 2015.
Related Works
The film is part of a broader franchise based on Ken Wakui's manga. Other entries include a 2007 television drama series aired on TV Asahi and a sequel film, Shinjuku Swan II, released in 2017.