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Prime Video to Produce Action Film The Silent Service

Jan 25, 2023

First film production by Prime Video in Japan to be distributed by Toho on September 29

The main character, Shiro Kaieda, will be played by Takao Osawa

The first official trailer was revealed


WATCH THE OFFICIAL TEASER TRAILER HERE

TOKYO—25 January, 2023—Today, Prime Video announced that it will produce a live-action film based on the popular manga franchise The Silent Service, which will be distributed theatrically by Toho on September 29. It will be the first time that Prime Video produced a Japanese Amazon Original Movie.

The Silent Service is a popular manga series written and illustrated by artist Kaiji Kawaguchi, which was published in Kodansha's Weekly Morning manga magazine from 1988 to 1996, and has sold a total of 32 million copies.

The story, set in Japan’s first nuclear submarine, depicts the unpredictable actions of its captain, Shiro Kaieda, as he attempts to realize his ideal world. The story makes audience think about true peace amidst the tension of the complex intermingling of the thoughts of various nations.

Acclaimed actor Takao Osawa will take the role of Shiro Kaieda. Osawa, who played Wang Qi in the Kingdom movie series, is a longtime fan of the manga and will produce the film himself, including establishing a cooperative framework with the Maritime Self-Defense Force and presenting the project to the original writer, Kaiji Kawaguchi.

The Silent Service is produced by CREDEUS, Inc, which has produced a variety of films, including the Kingdom film series and Gintama film series. The director is Kohei Yoshino, who won numerous awards for Anime Supremacy!, which was released in theaters last year.

"We will finally be able to produce a live-action version of the legendary comic The Silent Service, which has been said to be impossible to make into a live-action film over 30 years, “said Takao Osawa. "We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Kaiji Kawaguchi and all the people involved. I will play the main role, Shiro Kaieda, who escapes with Japan's first nuclear submarine and confronts the world with the threat of nuclear weapons. The world is currently going through a wave of great change. We are now shooting this film with talented casts and crews  to deliver to all people living today. Please wait for a while until the ship departs on September 29."

"We are sincerely grateful to be entrusted  with the live-action adaptation of one of Mr. Kawaguchi's best-known works, The Silent Service," said Takayuki Hayakawa, head of Japanese Originals at Prime Video. “Furthermore, we are glad to team up with Mr. Osawa and Mr. Matsuhashi, the proudest creators in the Japanese entertainment industry, to bring the biggest project in the history of Prime Video in Japan. We look forward to bring this shocking and powerful film to our audiences."

"I saw on the set how the actors and film crew, led by Mr. Osawa, dedicated this film together as one., “said Kaiji Kawaguchi. "I rely on these crews to take this ship that we created more than 30 years ago and sail it around the world once again."

"The entire team is working together to bring the film to the screen as much as possible of the thoughts and feelings accumulated by the original author, Mr. Kawaguchi, and many others., “said Kohei Yoshino. " We hope you will experience this passionate story in the dark waters of the theater."

"The story has always stuck with me since I first read the original manga series, but never have I felt more compelled to produce a live-action version than I do now," said Shinzo Matsuhashi, a CEO of CREDEUS, Inc. "As an entertainment creator, I put surprises and emotions that I want to deliver to Japan and the world into this film. We now have casts and crews who share our passion, Japanese video technology, the diversity of entertainment, and our own experience. Luckily, all the conditions were in place at the right time."

The Silent Service will join the thousands of TV shows and movies in the Prime Video catalogue, including Japanese-produced Amazon Original series such as HITOSHI MATSUMOTO Presents Documental, The Masked Singer, and Amazon Exclusive series The Bachelor Japan and The Bachelorette Japan, along with award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Originals like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, The Tomorrow War, Coming 2 America, and Cinderella, all on Prime Video, which is available at no extra cost for Prime members.

Prime members will be able to watch The Silent Service anywhere and anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, and stream online. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch them anywhere offline at no additional cost. Prime Video is available in Japan at no extra cost to a Prime membership for just 4,900 JPY per year; new customers can find out more at www.amazon.co.jp/prime and subscribe to a free 30-day trial.

--ENDS--

The Silent Service
Premiere Date: September 29, 2023, Theatrical Release
Cast:  Takao Osawa
Original Work: The Silent Service (Kodansha)
Producers: Takao Osawa, Shinzo Matsuhashi
Director: Kohei Yoshino
Production: CREDEUS, Inc.
Distribute: Toho
Copyright: © Kaiji Kawaguchi /KODANSHA ©2023 Amazon Content Services LLC OR ITS AFFILIATES. All Rights Reserved.
Official Twitter：@silent_KANTAI

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Media Contact:
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E-mail: primevideo@kyodo-pr.co.jp

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