It has been revealed that model and actor Mai Shiraishi will appear in the live-action film "Under Ninja" (to be released on January 24, 2025), which is based on a manga by Kengo Hanazawa. Shiraishi will play Suzuki, a blonde female kunoichi who belongs to the same ninja organization "NIN" as the main character, ninja Kuro Kumogakure, played by Kento Yamazaki.
The original is a manga by Hanazawa, who is also known for "I am a Hero," and has been serialized in "Young Magazine" (Kodansha) since July 2018. Set in a world where ninjas, who are said to have disappeared after the war, are still active in the present day, the story follows Kuro Kumogakure, a low-ranking ninja who lives a life almost like a NEET, as he throws himself into an important "ninja mission." A TV anime adaptation was also broadcast, with Yamazaki playing the main character Kuro and Minami Hamabe playing the heroine Ayaka Noguchi. The screenplay and direction are handled by Yuichi Fukuda, known for "Gintama" and "Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku."
This will be Shiraishi's first time taking on a full-scale action role. Suzuki is a skilled female ninja who usually works as an editor for a historical novelist, but when it comes to "ninja duty," she is skilled in using shuriken and a baton with a built-in taser gun.
Mamiya Shotaro's appearance has also been revealed. Mamiya plays Kato, a middle-ranking ninja who issues "ninja duties" to the lower-ranking ninja Kuro. He is a calm, collected, and cool ninja who carries out his "ninja duties" while disguised as a delivery man.
◇Mai Shiraishi's comment
I didn't have much experience in action, so my goal was to figure out how to face and overcome the challenges.
Since I was going to do it, I tried to give it my all so as not to destroy the image of the character. I hope I can show a cool Suzuki on the big screen!
The cast is full of strong characters, so I hope that many people will watch the movie and enjoy it! ◇Mamiya Shotaro's comment
It's been a while since I last worked with Fukuda, but meeting him again made me feel at ease and lifted my spirits. It was also my first time acting with Kento in 10 years, so I was very happy.
I hope I was able to convey Kato's quiet and unique sense of tension, and the action scenes were shot with a lot of trial and error with the staff, so I think they are worth watching. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product!
