News

Well Go USA Schedules Manga-Inspired Deadball Film

North American distributor Well Go USA confirmed with ANN that it will release the live-action Deadball film directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi (Meatball Machine) on Blu-ray Disc, DVD, and digitally on April 9. The live-action sequel to Battlefield Baseball again stars Tak Sakaguchi (Versus, SHINOBI).

Well Go USA describes the film's story:

Baseball prodigy Jubeh Yakyu (Tak Sakaguchi) is the most feared and dangerous juvenile delinquent in all of Japan. After accidentally causing the death of his father with a super-powered, deadly fireball pitch, Jubeh swore off baseball and became a criminal and now, at 17, has been sent to the Pterodactyl Juvenile Reformatory for hardened criminals.

Headmistress Ishihara, the granddaughter of a World War II Nazi collaborator, runs the institution with an iron fist and the enthusiastic help of her sadistic assistant, Ilsa. After arriving at the hellhole, Jubeh soon learns from governor Mifune that his long-lost, younger brother Musashi had also done time there after a murder spree, but had since died mysteriously. Despite having sworn never to play baseball again, Jubeh is presented with an ultimatum by governor Mifune: join the reformatory team, The Gauntlets, in the national tournament for juvenile inmates, or witness the death of his innocent cellmate Four Eyes (Mari Hoshino).

With the knowledge that the death of his brother is somehow connected to the team, Jubeh agrees, and Gauntlet training begins. Their first opponents: the sexy but deadly "psycho butcher girls" of the St. Black Dahlia High School, a team of literal man-killers. And so the splatterific baseball tournament begins, but Jubeh soon learns that he is not only fighting to win the game, but also to save his own life!

The original Battlefield Baseball film is based off Man-gatarō's Jigoku Kōshien (Hell Baseball Tournament) manga spoof on martial arts and sports. The film, also directed by Yamaguchi, was released in 2002. The manga was adapted into a flash anime in 2008.

The Blu-ray release will retail for US$29.98 and the DVD release will retail for US$24.98. The release will include cast interviews, a making-of featurette, and the "Final Deadball" spinoff short.

The release is a part of Well Go USA's partnership with Japanese studio Nikkatsu's cult cinema line, Sushi Typhoon.

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news tip.

[Via City on Fire]