Actor Ryo Yoshizawa appeared on stage at the Kabukiza Theater (Chuo Ward, Tokyo) on December 31st to greet the audience at the Kabukiza Theater New Year's Eve Special Screening of his starring film "National Treasure" (directed by Lee Sang-il). Looking back on the filming of this film, which has become the number one live-action movie, he said, "It was all about obsession."
Yoshizawa added, "He let me keep going until I realized it myself, which was very strict, but I also felt his love." Co Ryusei Yokohama added, "I felt his tenacity. But I've never been on a set where he trusted us so much, loved us so much, and took so much time with us. I feel so blessed." Director Lee seemed embarrassed and said, "It felt like I was listening to my own eulogy."
Looking back on this year, Yoshizawa said, "Thanks to 'National Treasure' I was able to have a lot of different experiences. I went to Cannes for the first time and was able to work on campaigns overseas. In fact, it's rare to have the opportunity to speak in front of everyone like this, six months after the film's release, and we've received a lot of positive feedback, so this has truly been an unforgettable year thanks to 'National Treasure'."
The film was released on June 6th, and in the 208 days up to December 30th, it attracted 13,098,000 viewers and grossed 18.47 billion yen, breaking the 22-year-old record held by "Bayside Shakedown 2: Close the Rainbow Bridge!" (2003, 17.35 billion yen), and became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film of all time (according to Kogyo Tsushinsha).
The event was held in commemoration of the film's achievement as the number one live-action Japanese film, and was co-hosted by Shochiku and Toho. Yoshizawa, Yokohama, Ai Mikami, Mikami Ai, Kurokawa Soya, Tanaka Min, Nakamura Ganjiro, and Director Lee attended, with Ichikawa Somegoro and Ichikawa Danko making a surprise appearance to present bouquets of flowers.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Shuichi Yoshida, known for works such as "Parade" and "Park Life." Serialized in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper from 2017, the epic 800-page two-volume series was published in book form in 2018. Set in post-war Japan during the period of rapid economic growth, the story follows the protagonist Kikuo (Yoshizawa), who was born into a clan of yakuza gangsters but was adopted into the home of kabuki actor Hanjiro Hanai (Ken Watanabe), who meets Hanjiro's heir, Shunsuke (Yokohama). The epic story follows two men of completely opposite lineages who risk their lives to dedicate their lives to the arts.
It is also scheduled to be screened in IMAX theaters from January 16, 2026, and in Dolby Cinema from January 23. It is also scheduled for release in North America in 2026, and was shortlisted as one of 15 films for Best International Feature Film and 10 films for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards.
