by A live-action film adaptation of the popular work “Cells at Work” by
Akane Shimizu, which was serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius and has been adapted into anime twice, has been released since December 13, 2024. [Photo] The visuals of viruses and bacteria are too villainous! See the scene cuts from “Cells at Work.”
This work anthropomorphizes the cells in the human body and depicts in a comical and easy-to-understand way the role each plays in maintaining life. Mei Nagano plays the red blood cell (AE3803), which Kana Hanazawa voiced in the anime, and Takeru Sato plays the white blood cell (No. 1146), which Tomoaki Maeno voiced. When the casting was announced, Takeru Sato’s highly impactful white makeup as the white blood cell became a hot topic. In this article, I would like to introduce the highlights of the movie “Cells at Work,” which has finally been released, from the perspective of a writer who loves special effects.
The cells’ activities are reproduced in live action! First is the visual impact of the cells depicted on a scale only a movie can have. Starting with the minimalist aspect, the visual strength of Takeru Sato’s white face, and the visual finish of the pneumococcus played by Ainosuke Kataoka, which is harmful to the human body (personally reminds me of the live-action version of “Devilman”), is a point that special effects fans cannot miss (as an aside, Ainosuke Kataoka’s captivating performance as a loser is also magnificent, so I hope you will enjoy it at the theater). On the other hand, the film depicts the human body, where red and white blood cells come and go, set in a shopping mall-like facility.
The scenes mobilizing many extras to visualize the inside of the body crowded with cells are persuasive images that differ from manga and anime. Another element not in the original work or anime is the drama of the human host of the cells that unfolds in parallel.
The inside of the body of high school girl Hiku Urushizaki (played by Mana Ashida), where AE3803 and No. 1146 live, is a worldview like the aforementioned shopping mall, but the inside of Hiku’s father Shigeru Urushizaki (played by Sadao Abe), who is highly unhealthy, is a dirty Showa-style underground space, creating a hilarious image that reflects the image of the characters depicted in the film.
Sato Takeru runs all over the screen. Wire action is worth watching. For fans of special effects, the biggest highlight is the sword fight that uses wire action, in which the white blood cell, played by Sato Takeru, runs freely across the screen. No. 1146 is a neutrophil, one of the many white blood cells whose primary purpose is to eliminate viruses and bacteria that have invaded the body. He is depicted as a very combative character because of his characteristic of taking countermeasures first when a pathogen invades.
Dynamic wire action is incorporated into the battle scenes of such white blood cells, and they perform as if flying. Speaking of Takeru Sato and wire action, it brings to mind the live-action film “Rurouni Kenshin,” the first five of which were shown. I’ve gotten used to it, and in the action scenes in this film, the characters’ murderous intent seems tangible, and something terrifying seems on the screen.
A cast connected to special effects, such as the “Kamen Rider” series and “Shin Ultraman,” is gathered together, and the lineup of other stellar supporting cast members is also not to be missed. As has been mentioned in various media, Matsumoto Wakana, who played siblings with Sato Takeru in “Kamen Rider Den-O,” plays the role of Macrophage, Yamamoto Koji, who appeared in “Kamen Rider Zero-One” and “Shin Ultraman the Movie,” plays the role of Killer T Cell, who fights alongside White Blood Cell, Naka Riisa, who appeared in “Zebraman: Zebra City Strikes Back,” plays the role of NK Cell, and Itagaki Rihito, who participated in “Kamen Rider Zi-O” as Wool, plays the role of Rookie Red Blood Cell.
The cast members’ acting, who fully understand the unique exaggeration that is unique to special effects, makes you feel that it is well suited to the character settings of this work. In the climax scene, where each character risks their life to fulfill their role, you feel as if you are watching a movie version of a program that has been a TV series for a year. I hope you will experience the “special effects feeling” that permeates this final part on the big screen. “Cells at Work” Release date: Friday, December 13
Cast: Mei Nagano, Takeru Sato / Mana Ashida, Koji Yamamoto, Riisa Naka, Wakana Matsumoto, Shota Sometani, Rihito Itagaki, Ryo Kato, Seishiro Kato, Mykapyu, Kyoko Fukada / Ainosuke Kataoka / Shinya Niiro, Shinju Ozawa, Fukase (SEKAI NO OWARI) / Sadao Abe Original story: “Cells at Work” by Akane Shimizu (published in Kodansha’s “Monthly Shonen Sirius”), “Cells at Work! BLACK” by Shigemitsu Harada, Issei Hatsugaya, and Akane Shimizu (published in Kodansha’s “Morning”) Director: Hideki Takeuchi Screenplay: Yuichi Tokunaga Music: Face 2 fAKE Production: “Cells at Work” Film Production Committee Production company: Twins Japan Theme song: “50%” by Official Hige Dandism (IRORI Records / PONY CANYON Inc.)
Distribution: Warner Bros. Pictures (C) Shimizu Akane/Kodansha (C) Harada Shigemitsu, Hatsugaya Issei, Shimizu Akane/Kodansha (C) 2024 “Cells at Work” Film Production Committee (C) 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMAX(R) is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation.
