"March Comes in Like a Lion" manga official website revealed on Wednesday, Nov. 2 the first trailer and poster for the upcoming "March Comes In Like A Lion" live-action movie. The two-part film will premiere in Japan on March 18 and April 22, 2017.
"March Comes in Like a Lion" is an ongoing manga series created by Chika Umino (Honey and Clover). It follows the story of 17-year-old shogi professional player Rei Kiriyama. Rei lost his parents at a young age; he lives alone in an apartment and had a black and white life until his path crosses with the Kawamoto family composed of three sisters and a grandfather. The eldest of the Kawamoto sisters, Akari Kawamoto, found Rei collapsed from too much alcohol in front of her workplace and brought him home. Since then, the sisters have gotten close to Rei, frequently inviting him on dinners. The story features how Rei matures into an adult and his challenges as a young shogi player.
The first teaser features familiar scenes from the manga like Rei gazing at the town across from his apartment's balcony, visiting the Kawamoto sisters and playing shogi. Meanwhile, the official poster features cast members Ryunosuke Kamiki as Rei Kiriyama, Kana Kurashina as Akari Kawamoto, Kaya Kiyohara as Hinata Kawamoto, Chise Niitsu as Momo Kawamoto, Gin Maeda as Someji Kawamoto, Hideaki Ito as Masamune Gotō, Ryo Kase as Tōji Sōya, Kasumi Arimura as Kyōko Koda, and Etsushi Toyokawa as Masachika Kōda.
The manga series was serialized in Young Animal in 2007. It received several awards including the Manga Taisho Award (2011) Kodansha Manga Award (2011) and 18th Tezuka Osamu Prizes' Top Award (2014). An anime adaptation of "March Comes in Like a Lion" is currently airing on NHK produced by Shaft and directed by Akiyuki Simbo. It is licensed by Daisuki and Crunchyroll in Japan and Aniplex in the U.S.
