Attack of the Clones

[Don Brown]

The Ishihara Gundan's new hope, actor Tokushige Satoshi (25), will make his 
feature film debut in ?Lady Joker? to be directed by Hirayama Hideyuki (
?OUT,? ?Makai Tensho?), and is set for an autumn release next year.
Tokushige was plucked from obscurity by a search to find a ?[Ishihara] 
Yujiro for the 21st Century? held by Ishihara Promotions, and was set for 
instant stardom until all plans ground to a halt on August 12th this year 
after an accident on the set of TV Asahi series ?Seibu Keisatsu 2003,? 
before it had even gone to air.
An expensive British sports car spun out during an action sequence and 
plowed into a crowd of onlookers, injuring five people. Footage of the 
incident played over and over again on television wide shows as well as 
regular news programs, resulting in an abrupt cancellation of production of 
the series, as well as the broadcast of a special pilot. The victims? 
anger was probably assuaged to a great degree by a highly dramatic and 
characteristically intense public and private apology from Ishihara Pro 
president and venerated yakuza film star, Watari Tetsuya.
A university student with no acting experience when he won the Ishihara Pro 
audition, Tokushige was subsequently schooled rigorously in ?acting 
basics? by his new masters, studying song and dance, voice projection, 
horsemanship, small boat handling and English conversation. No doubt 
Tokushige?s striking resemblance to Ishihara Yujiro played a considerable 
part in his selection, and he has so far done justice to the memory of his 
late benefactor by appearing in commercials for Oronamin C soft drink and 
men?s face wash.
?Lady Joker??s production was delayed for two months by the accident, 
and at last began filming on the 17th of this month. Tokushige?s acting 
abilities ?still leave a lot to be desired? according to director 
Hirayama, but the plucky young doppelganger is reportedly throwing himself 
completely into his ?on the job training.? The film, based on story by 
Takamura Kaoru serialised in the Sunday Mainichi, revolves around a plot to 
extort money from a beer company by kidnapping its president, and Tokushige 
plays the dashing young lieutenant assigned to the case. Also starring are 
Watari Tetsuya (?Jingi no Hakaba?), Nagazuka Kyozo (?Warau Kaeru?), 
Kikkawa Koji (?The Guys From Paradise?), Kanno Miho (?Dolls?), Osugi 
Ren (?Drive?), Kato Haruhiko (?Kairo?), Tatsumi Takuro (?Hashi no nai 
Kawa?) and Kunimura Jun (?Nine Souls?). 

Source:
http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200311/gt2003112001.html

Don Brown

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