Japanese production company The Seven will make its theatrical debut with Baka’s Identity (A Fool’s Identity), a crime thriller set for release in Japan on October 24. The film reunites Yu Yu Hakusho producer Akira Morii with actors Takumi Kitamura, Go Ayano, and rising star Yuta Hayashi.
Directed by Koto Nagata, a protégé of renowned filmmaker Shunji Iwai, the film explores Japan’s criminal underworld through the eyes of three young men over three intense days. Based on Jun Nishio’s 2019 prize-winning novel, the screenplay adaptation is by Kosuke Mukai, a Japan Academy Award winner.
The story follows Takuya (Kitamura) and Mamoru (Hayashi), two young men caught up in identity theft schemes. When they attempt to escape their criminal lives, they turn to their mentor Kajitani (Ayano) for help. Kitamura describes his character, Takuya, as a young criminal exploiting isolated men on social media, reflecting on the emotional journey the film represents across three generations.
“This is a film about men who have lost everything but still choose to live,” said Kitamura.
Ayano added, “It’s a story about people who have lost all hope, those who have had hope taken from them, and those who create their own hope. It’s a film you won’t want to miss.”
Nagata was drawn to the project after witnessing the extreme poverty and crime faced by young people in Japan, calling it a passion project that highlights Japan’s social realities while providing genuine entertainment.
For The Seven, founded in 2022 as part of TBS Holdings’ global content strategy, Baka’s Identity marks a shift from their usual high-end productions. Company president Tatsuo Sugai expressed confidence in the film’s timely themes, noting its departure from their typical approach.
The Seven’s previous success includes Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho, which won Best Visual or Special FX at the 2024 Asian Academy Creative Awards.
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