Source: Pony Canyon, Inc., Electro 89 Official Site: god-tongue.com (Japan) The Japanese comedy GOD TONGUE: KISS PRESSURE GAME THE MOVIE (????? ??????? THE MOVIE, Goddotan Kisugaman Senshuken THE MOVIE, 2013) is now being offered for international distribution. The following photos and production notes are courtesy of Pony Canyon and Electro 89... INTRODUCTION That super popular variety show that sparks fire in late-night viewers -- TV Tokyo`s GOD TONGUE -- is now a movie! Will resisting kisses save the world?  GOD TONGUE -- the popular, late-night Saturday TV show hosted by Ogiyahagi and Gekidan Hitori. Since its premier in 2005, it has given birth to many popular segments, such as “Majiuta Senshuken” and “Majigirai 1/5,” and its DVDs have sold 500,000 copies. It has a zealous following of fans, like the characters played by Masami Nagasawa and Mirai Moriyama in the movie Moteki who are shown enjoying the program. Its most popular segment is “The Kiss Pressure Game” in which comedians must improvise an act while they resist kissing the sexy idols who tempt them.

Gekidan Hitori’s talent blossomed in this segment that challenges the participants’ endurance and ad-lib capabilities, winning him the title “Mr. Kiss Pressure.” With his amazing ability to immerse himself in to the role, to grasp and respond to the situation, and to come up with brilliant lines to let the story unfold, he kept pushing up the scale and intensity of his games. And in the 5th Kiss Pressure Finals, he was part of a grand plot about conquering the world. Now, “The Kiss Pressure Game” has been made into a movie for the silver screen. Gekidan Hitori’s mission is to “resist kisses for 24 hours,” and his character is the Desert Reaper, an amnesiac former assassin. A year after an incident that could have brought about the end of the world, Shogo (Gekidan Hitori) has lost much of his memory and is attacked by assassins. A deadly, underground organization called the Red Shadow, zombies, hotshot detectives, women begging him for a kiss... With Ogiyahagi and Bananaman watching over his performance in the monitoring room, Hitori ventures into his mission of resisting kisses for 24 hours! Gekidan Hitori had to completely ad-lib his act while the other cast members had to prepare themselves with meticulous rehearsals and simulations to respond to Hitori’s unscripted improvisations. Shintaro, Shogo’s greatest ally, is played by Hideto Iwai, leader of theatrical company hi-bye. He responds to Hitori’s ad-libs and guides the plot down an exciting storyline with his sound acting ability and exceptional verbal skills. The sexy actresses that try to steal kisses from Hitori are Tsukasa Aoi, Mana Sakura, and Mihiro. They are supported by a star-studded cast that includes heartthrob actors Masataka Kubota and Takumi Saito and veteran actors Mickey Curtis, Ikkei Watanabe, Masaki Kyomoto, and Riki Takeuchi. And to the delight of “owarai” comedy fans, appearances by Tokyo 03, Bakarhythm, Makita Sports, and other comedians add roaring laughter in critical moments of the plot. The world of “The Kiss Pressure Game” was brilliantly reproduced for the theaters by the crew of GOD TONGUE. The screenplay was written by Nobuyuki Sakuma, director of the TV program, and Okura, a super sought-after screenwriter. And the unique filming style that could have only been nurtured through the six years of making the TV show... For the film production, it used 20 cameras and three production trucks. The film score that enlivened the dynamic visuals was produced by Taisei Iwasaki of Moteki. The theme song was written specifically for this movie by Sambomaster. Its members are big fans of the TV show, and they readily accepted the movie producers’ request for a theme song. “Kodoku to Rendezvous” sings about a man’s loneliness, echoing the exact sentiments of Gekidan Hitori and emphasizing the movie’s world view. Now witness on screen how genius storyteller Gekidan Hitori spins a tale with his superhuman ability of improvisation. STORY A crew bus rolls into a parking lot, and Gekidan Hitori, wearing a fake scar on his cheek, steps out. He has been informed that this was a location for a travel program, but from the monitoring room, he hears Ogiyahagi, Bananaman, and Announcer Matsumaru announce the beginning of the 24-hour Kiss Pressure Game!

Clueless about his character and the setting, Gekidan Hitori is mercilessly assaulted by sexy actresses pleading him for a kiss and a group of deadly mercenaries and zombies attempting to kidnap him! He overcomes a series of challenges and starts to grasp tidbits of information about himself and the situation. His name is Shogo Kawashima. Since an incident a year ago, he is on the run with Tsukasa, the heiress of Aoi Pharmaceuticals. He was raised by the Red Shadow and is the Desert Reaper, a feared assassin and a traitor to the organization. And for some unknown reason, the Red Shadow wants him back... Shogo is saved from a dangerous situation by his friend Shintaro, who was also raised as an assassin by the Red Shadow. Shintaro plots revenge on the Red Shadow and asks Shogo to help him, and they head for Shintaro’s hideout. There, Shogo meets Shintaro’s brethren of four men and Mihiro, and Mana, his sister unrelated by blood who had supposedly died in the incident a year ago. The Desert Reaper is pursued not only by the Red Shadow but also by two detectives, Matsui and Goto, who suspect him for a series of brutal murders. When Detective Goto raids the hideout, Shintaro’s colleagues turn against them and capture Tsukasa and Mana to hand them over to the Red Shadow. Shogo and Shintaro are also attacked by the undead, and they and Mihiro barely make it out of the hideout with their lives. They spend the night in a deserted building where Mihiro reveals some shocking truths about her upbringing to Shogo. Morning comes, and it is time for Shogo, Shintaro, and Mihiro to infiltrate the Red Shadow headquarters. Will they be able to get revenge on General Red, the man who raised them to be assassins, and rescue Tsukasa and Mana? And will Gekidan Hitori be able to resist kisses for 24 hours and ad-lib this epic to a conclusion?!  PRODUCTION NOTES ? How the project started Let’s make a movie out of "The Kiss Pressure Game", a segment of GOD TONGUE. Let’s project on the big screen Gekidan Hitori’s gift for ad-libbing and the silliness of this segment about resisting kisses. This is what Producer Goka, the first producer of GOD TONGUE who currently works in TV Tokyo’s Visual Images Division, suggested to Director Sakuma in the summer of 2012. In their meeting, they decided on a rough outline of “ad-lib the acting and resist kisses for 24 hours.” Let’s produce a "Kiss Pressure Game" in a scale that surpasses TV and so grand that it can only be a movie and let’s make it into the funniest of 2013 -- the staff and crew joined hands for the same goal. ? Preparing for the filming without the starring actor (Gekidan Hitori) This screenplay written by Okura, writer of the TV program, and Director Sakuma was distinctly different from regular screenplays. Where Gekidan Hitori’s lines should have been, there were blank spaces and comments on anticipated lines or reactions that read something like “(He’ll probably say something cool)” or “(Reaction).” For two weeks before the actual filming, the main cast, Director Sakuma, Director Sozu, Director of Photography Kazama, and other main crew members conducted carefully planned-out rehearsals in TV Tokyo’s rehearsal room with actor Yuichiro Ohtaka standing in for Gekidan Hitori. On location, they set up 20 on-crane and handheld cameras, and each scene was rehearsed to determine the actors’ and the crew’s positioning and movement. Meticulous attention was paid to avoid getting the crew and other cameras on camera. Moreover, camera rehearsals were meticulously conducted by anticipating and simulating Gekidan Hitori’s movements so that they would all be captured on film. The TV crew that has been together for six years was joined by world-renowned genius Director Takashi Miike’s regular crew. And thus, the one-and-only Team Sakuma was formed to create a visual portrayal like never before. ? A brutal 24-hour location

The filming began at 15:00 in Kisugaman (Kiss Pressure) Hot Spring, an on-location set in the Greater Kanto region. Cameras began rolling the moment Gekidan Hitori, wearing fake scars on his cheek and neck, stepped off the crew bus. The bus from where Ogiyahagi, Bananaman, and Announcer Matsumaru monitored his performance was parked nearby. Gekidan Hitori was kept isolated on the crew bus, and careful attention was paid so that he would not run into any of the other cast and crew members. Soon after Hitori leaves the hot spring bath, he walks into an area with an elaborate trap of explosives. Even though the explosives were laid out by specialists who took safety into serious consideration, the crew felt their blood freeze in their veins when Hitori, who knew nothing about the setup, continued his acting over one in the ground buried beneath his feet. Needless to say, the main character of the story is Gekidan Hitori. But it was his co-stars’ and the crew’s job to provide him with hints about the story’s outline, to draw out his reactions, and guide him to move in the planned direction. If Hitori did something or went somewhere unintended, they had to incorporate it into the story in that instant and come up with lines and actions that kept the plot alive and interesting. In one scene, when Hitori ran off in a direction that the crew hadn’t anticipated, the cameramen were not able to catch up to him. Instead, they reorganized themselves, and the other actors continued their ad-lib performance and revised the storyline until Hitori returned. This was just one instance that made the shooting so laborious and time-consuming. Stuntmen and extras from action talent agencies played the zombies. In one scene, there were up to 50 zombies, which turned the hair and makeup rooms into a war zone. As the time code shows in the movie, the last scene was shot at 19:30. In other words, the filming actually took 28 hours. When the first day of filming ended late at night, the super-elaborate set was dismantled, loaded onto two large production trucks, and immediately transferred to the next location. Considering the crew and cast’s safety and health, they were given a little time to get some sleep, however, since the crew had to prepare and take down the set before and after the actual shooting, they were near collapse at the end of the day. It was also in the dead of winter, and with oil heaters and countless disposable body warmers as lifelines, the cast and crew willed themselves as if something had possessed them to keep going. ? Gekidan Hitori’s genius ability to ad-lib Even though Gekidan Hitori was feeling his way through the darkness right at the beginning of the shoot, his switched was turned on by the onslaught of kiss demands he met in the first set, the Kisugaman (Kiss Pressure) Hot Spring bath. Although parts of the scene were edited out, he took a considerable amount of time cozying up to his female co-stars while resisting their kisses, using ad-lib to spread a few lines of the script over several dozens of minutes. As long as the cameras were rolling, Hitori did not stop acting. His ability to improvise and integrate his confusion and uncertainty about the setting into his act is nothing short of genius. There are actors that can instantly improvise a few lines or across cuts, but one that can keep himself focused for this long is extremely rare. Furthermore, the trust he and the God Tongue crew built up over the years is another reason he is able to apply himself so wholly to the act. ? The climax toward the wrap-up

The 2-day shoot was held on location across several prefectures in the Greater Kanto region. The deserted paper mill in the climax used for the Red Shadow headquarters was picked after careful, repeated location scouting. When Hitori, Iwai, and Mihiro infiltrate the headquarters, an astounding view of the dilapidated paper mill -- one in the grand scale of movies -- is captured on camera. The Red Shadow headquarters was set up on the second floor, and the crew wore helmets as they shot the scene. The filming was wrapped up way after the sun had set on Day 2. In the ending, Gekidan Hitori comes face to face for the first time with Ogiyahagi, Bananaman, and Announcer Matsumaru, as in movie. Although he could not hide his fatigue, Hitori exuded a sense of accomplishment and liberation, and there was even an ecstatic expression on his face. In his interview for the trailer footage, Hitori commented, “It felt like a dream,” which shows how deeply he immersed himself into the role. Director Sakuma and the production crew examined the rushes over and over, and the director himself edited the footage down to a spectacular 2-hour movie. For the ending song, a request was made to Sambomaster, who had earlier publicly declared themselves as fans of the TV show and who readily accepted the request. The song, titled “Kodoku to Rendezvous” (meaning “rendezvous with loneliness”) and containing the memorable phrase “always alone,” is perfect for this movie and its star (Hitori, whose name means “alone”) and uplifts the audience’s spirit even further at the end. CAST Shogo Kawashima (Gekidan Hitori) as Shogo Kawashima The man given the title “Mr. Kiss Pressure.” His mission is to resist kisses for 24 hours. In the movie, Shogo Kawashima, also the name of his character, is an amnesiac former assassin known as the Desert Reaper. Gekidan Hitori was born in 1977. Hometown in Chiba Prefecture. Debuted in 1993. He is a regular on numerous variety shows including WARATTE IITOMO (Fridays), ACCHI MANIA, and NAKAI MASAHIRO NO MININARU TOSHOKAN. He is also an actor who has appeared in many films and TV dramas including GOLDEN SLUMBER, REBIRTH (Youkame no Semi), and THE WINGS OF THE KIRIN (Kirin no Tsubasa). He is also a writer, whose debut novel Flowers in the Shadow (Kagehinata ni Saku) sold over a million copies and was adapted into a movie. His next novel is titled Togensha (Seiten no Hekireki). This is his first starring role in a live-action film. Ogiyahagi and Bananaman as the Gods in the Monitoring Room The duo Ogiyahagi was formed in 1995. They are regulars on TV shows such as BURABURA BIJUTSU HAKUBUTSUKAN, OGIYAHAGI NO AISHA NENREKI, TENSAI!! COMPANY, UMAZUKI!, and radio programs such as JUNK OGIYAHAGI NO MEGANE-BIIKI and OGIYAHAGI NO KURUMA-BIIKI.

Hiroaki Ogi: Born in 1971. Hometown in Tokyo. Provided his voice for movie MADAGASCAR 3. Ken Yasaku: Born in 1971. Hometown in Tokyo. Had acting parts in TV drama UNUBORE DEKA and SORATOBY KOHOSHITSU. Bananaman are regular and irregular cast members of numerous TV programs, such as YOU HA NANISHINI NIHON-E?, WARATTE IITOMO!, and KISEKI TAIKEN UNBELIEVABLE. They put on their own comedy show every summer. Osamu Shitara: Born in 1973. Hometown in Saitama Prefecture. He has acted in TV dramas such as KAKUSHO and the HAGANE NO ONNA series and starred in movie SAIBANCHO! KOKOWA CHOUEKI YONEN DE DOUDESUKA. He also hosts weekday TV program NON-STOP!. Yuuki Himura: Born in 1972. Hometown in Kanagawa Prefecture. He has acted in TV dramas including IRODO RI HIMURA in which he had the starring role. Mihiro as Mihiro Raised by the Red Shadow. An assassin who was sold off by her parents when she was a little girl and who was forced by the underground organization to learn how to kill and please men. Shintaro’s brethren. Mihiro was born in 1982. Hometown in Niigata Prefecture. Debuted in 2002. An actress with an established reputation for her acting skills, a singer, and a TV talent. She released I-novel nude in 2009 and starred in TV drama KUREMU BIYOSHITSU. She appeared in movies such as RUNNING ON EMPTY and SR SAITAMA NO RAPPER. For her fifth year in a row in the series, she appears in SHIMURA-KON 8, which opened June 27. Hideto Iwai as Shintaro Raised with Shogo by the Red Shadow. Unlike Shogo, an elite assassin, he is the organization’s pawn for which he holds a grudge and plots revenge. Hideto Iwai was born in 1974. Hometown in Tokyo. In 2003, he formed theatrical company hi-bye for which he is still the leader. In 2007, he joined the Directing Department of theatrical company Seinendan. His screenplay for the 2012 TV drama UMUTO UMARERU SOREKARA NO KOTO won the 30th Mukouda Kuniko Prize and his 2013 play Aru Onna won the 57th Kunio Kishida Award. He continues to participate in numerous theatrical and film productions. Masaki Kyomoto as Dr. Aoi Chairman of the Aoi conglomerate and Tsukasa’s father. Masaki Kyomoto was born in 1959. Home town in Osaka Prefecture. Debuted in 1979 in SHARIN NO IPPO of the OTOKOTACHI NO TABIJI series. He firmly established his popularity with his role as Kumihimoya no Ryu in the 1985 period drama HISSATSU SHIGOTONIN V. While appearing in movies and TV shows, he is also a singer-songwriter. He also appears regularly on KAYO SURPRISE, NIPPON HOSO`S KYOMOTO MASAKI NO RAJIDOBA!, and many other programs. Tsukasa Aoi as Tsukasa Aoi Daughter of the chairman of the Aoi conglomerate. She was targeted a year ago by the Desert Reaper, but they end up falling in love. She abandons her family for Shogo, and together they are on the run and in hiding. Tsukasa Aoi was born in 1990. Hometown in Osaka Prefecture. Debuted while in high school as a gravure idol. Her girl-next-door looks increased her popularity. She appeared in RINJO THE MOVIE and has her first starring role in JOIN 701-GO SASORI GAIDEN DAI-41 ZATSUIBO. Mana Sakura as Mana Shogo’s sister not related by blood. She was shot by Shintaro in the incident a year ago but survived. Mana Sakura was born in 1993. She made her video debut in 2011 as “kojo bishojo” in which her Lolita allure became a much-talked-about topic. She currently models for gravure photos, appears in variety shows, and is spreading her field of activities. Masataka Kubota as Michael Shintaro’s and Mihiro’s brethren who plots revenge on the Red Shadow. Masataka Kubota was born in 1988. Hometown in Kana gawa Prefecture. Debuted in 2006. He attracted attention starring in 2008 TV drama KEITAI SOSAKAN 7. He made his first appearance in an NHK period drama TAIRA NO KIYOMORI as Taira no Shigemori. In the same year, won the Best New Actor Prize in the 34th Yokohama Film Festival with his performance in movie FUGAINAI BOKUWA SORAWO MITA. He also appears in EIGA SUZUKI SENSEI, MEMEMENO KURAGE, and TV drama SAIKO NO RIKON. He has roles in TOBE! DAKOTO (fall 2013) and KANJOWA USOWO AISHISUGIRU (fall 2013). Tokyo 03 Satoshi Iizuka as the debilitated undead, Akinaga Toyomoto as Soldier 1, Akihiro Kakuta as Soldier 2 The trio was formed in 2003 and consists of Satoshi Iizuka (tsukkomi), Akinaga Toyomoto (boke), and Akihiro Kakuta (boke). They make regular and irregular appearances in numerous shows, including SOKKO! BATTLE MEN, TOKYO 03 KAKUTA & YUTTY NO BURARI SAKKYOKU NO TABI, SHIROKURO UNJUSSHU, and GOD TONGUE. They are the winners of the 2009 King of Konto comedy contest. Akinaga Toyomoto: born in 1975. Satoshi Iizuka: born in 1973. Akihiro Kakuta: born in 1973.

Kyosuke Yabe as the mystery man Member of the Red Shadow who pursues Shogo with a group of mercenaries. Kyosuke Yabe was born in 1973. Hometown in Osaka Prefecture. In 2007 for his role in movie CLOSE ZERO, he won Best Supporting Actor in the 17th Japan Movie Critics Award. He also appeared in period drama RYUMA-DEN, drama QP, drama and movie YAMIKIN USHIJIMA-KUN, movie GAKU and YUMEURU FUTARI. He also has a role in MONSTER and the movies TOKYO YAMIMUSHI and CLOSE EXPLODE. Mickey Curtis as the homeless man Gatekeeper of Shintaro’s hideout. Mickey Curtis was born on July 23, 1938. Hometown in Tokyo. He has a British paternal grandmother and a British maternal grandfather. He first became popular in 1958 in the first Nichigeki Western Carnival. In the same year, he made his debut as an actor in movie KEKKO NO SUBETE. He produced Garo and Carol as “Japan’s first” music producer. He won Best Supporting Actor in the 69th Kinema Junpo Awards with his role in the film 1996 KAMIKAZE TAXI. In 2012, he captured notable media attention with his starring role in ROBO G under a pseudonym, Shinjiro Igarashi. Takumi Saito as Detective Goto A young detective investigating a series of brutal murders. He partners with Matsui, a seasoned detective. Takumi Saito was born in 1981. Hometown in Tokyo. He had his first starring role in the 2001 movie TOKI NO KAORI REMEMBER ME. He made appearances in other movies including ASHITA NAKU (2011), GYAKUTEN SAIBAN (2012), AI TO MOTOKO (2012), and MEMEMENO KURAGE (2013), and will appear in NAIGURUMA Z (2014) and DAKISHIMETAI (2014). He is the navigator on WOWOW’s movie information program EIGA KOBO. Ikkei Watanabe as Detective Matsui A seasoned detective investigating a series of brutal murders. He suspects and pursues the Desert Reaper. Ikkei Watanabe was born in 1962. Hometown in Aichi Prefecture. He joined theater company Gekidan Shinkansen while he was a student and later joined Jokyo Gekijo. After quitting Jokyo Gekijo, he has appeared in numerous productions including TV dramas and movies. His recent roles were in drama ASHITA NO HIKARI WO TSUKAME, the KARYU NO UTAGE series, the GALILEO series, and movies KATEN NO SHIRO and STRAWBERRY NIGHT. Riki Takeuchi as General Red Leader of the Red Shadow. Also Shogo’s, Shintaro’s, and Mihiro’s “father” who raised them. Riki Takeuchi was born in 1964. Hometown in Oita Prefecture. Made his movie debut in 1986. He stars in long-running movie series such as NAMBA KINYUDEN NO TEIOH, JINGI, and KISHIWADA SHONEN GURENTAI KAORU-CHAN SAIKYO DENSETSU. He takes advantage of his distinctive demeanor and powerful presence to play a wide variety of characters. STAFF PROFILES Director, screenwriter, editor: Nobuyuki Sakuma Born in 1975. Joined TV Tokyo in 1999. His main works are GOD TONGUE, the URERO MIKAKUNIN SHOJO series, and PIRAMEKINO. His genuine pursuit for comedy has won him the deep trust of many comedians. This is his movie directorial debut.

Screenwriter: Okura Born in 1973. Hometown in Gunma Prefecture. During college, he was part of a comedy duo. Around 1997, he started writing comedy sketches and has produced shows for Bananaman, Ogiyahagi, Tokyo 03, and other units. Currently, in addition to GOD TONGUE, he writes for many TV and radio programs. His screenplays for TV dramas include epochTVsquare, 30 MINUTES, UCHUKEN DAISAKUSEN, URERO MIKAKUNIN SHOJO, and HANANO ZUBORAMESHI. Theme Song: Sambomaster The 3-piece band was formed in 2000 and consists of Takashi Yamaguchi (vocals, guitar), Yoichi Kondo (bass, chorus) and Yasufumi Kiuchi (drums, chorus). In 2003, they made their debut in the majors with a split album titled Hokago no Seishun. Their latest CD released in March 2013 is titled Rock and Roll Is Not Dead, And You. Yamaguchi is also a member of band Inawashirokozu. DIRECTOR NOBUYUKI SAKUMA Q&A Q: When did you start making the TV program considering the possibility of a movie on "The Kiss Pressure Game"? A: About a year ago. I wanted to do a big project after the fifth year of the show. When the game’s first season ended, I wanted to make it even sillier and more exciting if I was going to bring it back for another season. So I thought, what could be sillier and funnier than making it into a movie? Q: Filming only on location, explosives, 20 cameras, cranes, four production trucks. I believe it was your first time directing with so much equipment. How was it? A: We had to film the footage in one take, and the main character had to completely improvise his act. But since we were using explosives, the rehearsals without the main character and the set before filming were charged with tension. Everybody looked like they were about to vomit (laugh). I was so frantic while the cameras were rolling that I don’t remember much about it. But Gekidan Hitori’s ad-libs were so incredible that I couldn’t help laughing and thinking how amazing this man is. Q: Did you have your eyes on Gekidan Hitori’s extraordinary ability to ad-lib from before? Or did you notice it first in "The Kiss Pressure Games"? A: I noticed it during the game. We shot the first game in 2005, and I witnessed how his ad-libbing raised the segment to a whole new level. Ever since then, I’ve considered it the program’s greatest leverage. Q: Big stars such as Riki Takeuchi, Masaki Kyomoto, and Ikkei Watanabe joined the Kiss Pressure family with this movie adaptation. What was it like working with them? A: I was so moved because they went all out with their performance. It’s funnier when the actors act seriously, but some people don’t realize that and try to be funny when they work in the comedy genre. But these actors were different. They unleashed their most serious acting at Gekidan Hitori, which in turn drew out amazing ad-libs from him. I couldn’t be more grateful. Q: A message, including things to watch for in the movie, to future viewers. A: Watch for the twists and turns in the plot that Gekidan Hitori faces when he absolutely has no idea about the storyline, the cast’s brilliant performance, the incredible ad-libs he comes up with as he is driven into a corner. Let them make you roar with laughter. An unexpected moving conclusion also awaits you. Honestly, I don’t think there’s another movie that will make you laugh this hard in the theater. STATEMENT FROM PRODUCER KIMITAKA GOKA GOD TONGUE is TV Tokyo’s greatest late-night program. And "The Kiss Pressure Game" is its No. 1 hit segment. When the program premiered in 2007, the game was about seeing how long comedians, uninformed of the content, could continue ad-libbing an act while resisting sexy, beautiful women who tempt them for a kiss. Genius Gekidan Hitori’s ad-lib performance blossomed from there, and each subsequent game turned into an epical story that transcended the rule of “resist kisses.” It’s been seven years since the program started. It’s amazing how long this late-night show has continued, but what’s more surprising, we made this segment into a movie! Needless to say, Gekidan Hitori is in the starring role. He was not informed of anything, including who the cast comprised and what the story was. He was only notified of his mission -- resist kisses for 24 hours -- in the beginning of the shoot. It kicked off Gekidan Hitori’s long, long marathon improvisation that put his career as a comedian on the line. In the movie, in addition to the beautiful women who beg him for kisses, he has to face assassins such as violent zombies and a shady organization, the ingredients of a grand spectacle. They attack Gekidan Hitori one after another. It’s a roller coaster of a movie that even makes the viewers’ palms sweaty. Gekidan Hitori’s genius ad-libs made it into a dynamic, Hollywood-scale production. The entire film is made up of Gekidan Hitori’s improvisations, and once he started acting, “under no circumstance could the cameras have been stopped” until the end of the scene. To film all of Gekidan Hitori’s brilliant ad-libs and the dramatic atmosphere that had to be captured in one take, TV Tokyo’s full technological force including 20 cameras and two large production trucks was employed for the unique filming style. The seasoned crew that has worked together for six years on the TV show was joined by the movie crew Director Takashi Miike regularly employs, and together they succeeded in creating an unprecedented motion picture. Frankly, it’ll make you cry. And it’ll make you roar with laughter. The gods descended on Gekidan Hitori. Everybody on location was incredulous. We all thought we were dreaming. But it’s all captured on tape. And it was edited most likely with divine intervention by Nobuyuki Sakuma, the director of God Tongue the TV show as well as the movie, and complemented by Sambomaster’s tear-jerking theme song “Kodoku to Rendezvous.” The viewers are going to be to busy laughing and crying, and this incredible movie will leave them satisfyingly depleted. Oh, it’ll uplift your spirit in the end. I’d be happy if one out of two viewers will renew his faith in the world, thinking there are still grown-ups out there that can get so serious about such silly things. Well, I’ve talked long enough about it, so please just go and watch it! It’s well worth 1,800 yen. CREDITS Japanese Theatrical Release Date: June 28, 2013 Running time: 112 Minutes Cast Shogo Kawashima: Shogo Kawashima (Gekidan Hitori) Gods in the Monitoring Room: Ogiyahagi Gods in the Monitoring Room: Bananaman Mihiro: Mihiro Shintaro: Hideto Iwai Dr. Aoi: Masaki Kyomoto (special appearance) Tsukasa Aoi: Tsukasa Aoi Mana: Mana Sakura Makita Sports Michael: Masataka Kubota Shuji Okui Ryusuke Komakine Bakarhythm Soldiers and Undead: Tokyo 03 Yuuki Matsumaru (TV Tokyo announcer) Musashi Mystery Man: Kyosuke Yabe Homeless Man: Mickey Curtis Detective Goto: Takumi Saito Detective Matsui: Ikkei Watanabe General Red: Riki Takeuchi Staff Screenplay by: Okura, Nobuyuki Sakuma Music by: Taisei Iwasaki Directed by: Nobuyuki Sakuma Theme Song: "Kodoku to Rendezvous” by Sambomaster (Victor Entertainment) Planning, Production: TV Tokyo Cooperation: Rakueisha, TREXFILM, Cinepro Theatrical Distribution: Toho  International Sales: Pony Canyon ? 2013 “Kiss Pressure Game THE MOVIE” Film Partners