Japan's longest running manga, already adapted a plethora of times in other mediums, should be getting a substantial franchise treatment if Davis Films has anything to say about it. They just bought the film rights yesterday from long time holder LEEDS Publishing Co.
SAMUEL HADIDA'S DAVIS FILMS ACQUIRES ACCLAIMED JAPANESE MANGA GOLGO 13
Major Film Franchise Potential for Longest Running & Most Popular Manga in Japan
Toronto - September 10, 2011: Samuel Hadida announced today that his company, Davis Films, has acquired film rights from Leed Publishing Co. Ltd. to the iconic Japanese cult classic Golgo 13, the longest-running manga (now in publication over forty years), written and illustrated by manga master Takao Saito.
Golgo 13 was introduced in 1968 , and the manga series, including compilation books, has sold over 200 million copies worldwide. It has been made into two live action films (the first starring Ken Takakura and the second starring Sonny Chiba), two animated films, a television series, and various video games.
Leed Publishing serves as Saito's representative and has overseen worldwide licensing of all rights to his work. Golgo 13, otherwise known as 'Duke Togo,' is a hired gun sniper with unbelievable combat skills , a cross between Dirty Harry and James Bond. He is a professional assassin with a strict personal code that makes him a modern day samurai. His world of contract killing is not unlike the complex world of espionage.
"We are unbelievably excited about this great property, and the opportunity to bring it to the big screen, "Hadida stated. "I have long admired Takao Saito's great work as one of the top gekiga style artists. We are looking forward to bringing his style sensibilities and this great character to worldwide film audiences."
The deal was brokered for Davis by Tetsu Fujimura at Filosophia, Inc.
Davis Films is known for its successful adaptations of Japanese media, including Crying Freeman, Silent Hill , and the Resident Evil films. "We see with Golgo 13 the same franchise potential," Hadida added.
If you are like me and you need to do a little research a good place to start could be with some of the animated episodes. AnimeNetwork has made subtitled episodes available on their
YouTube page.