Japantoday.com reported, “One Japanese movie that will get a wide overseas release is “20th Century Boys.” The science-fiction film, which opened in Japan on Saturday, is the first of a trilogy and will be released in 20 countries and regions. The film is based on a popular award-winning comic series in which a group of childhood friends try to fight against the so-called “Friend”—an evil entity who uses childhood ideas of the group to commit acts of terrorism to gain power. ”

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In a recent article by Christoph Mark for the Daily Yomiuri, Mark wrote, “With Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning manga series 20th Century Boys, it’s all in the numbers: 20 million copies sold = three films with a reported total budget of 6 billion yen and a cast comprising scores of Japan’s most popular actors and comedians.”

“But now that the 24-volume manga has been realized as a live-action trilogy–the most expensive films in Japanese cinematic history–20th Century Boys can do no more than sit and wait for its critics, many of whom will also be readers.”

“I have a lot of hope for the film, but I’m really worried about what the readers will think,” Takashi Nagasaki–Urasawa’s editor, who was closely involved in every aspect of the story’s development–wrote in the film’s promotional material.

“You have to appeal to a wide audience to sell as many copies as [20th Century Boys] did,” he tells The Daily Yomiuri, expanding on his earlier concern. “And we’ve changed the storyline a lot, so people will have their opinions. I think criticism is inevitable. But I take responsibility for this film, be it hit or flop.”

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