Second Live Action Mr. Osomatsu Film Delays Release After Actor Arrest
The second live action film in the Mr. Osomatsu franchise has announced a delay from its planned January 9 release date. The official X account for the film stated the delay comes after consulting with involved parties and citing various circumstances. A new release date has not yet been set.
The delay follows the October 4 arrest of Keita Richard Kusama, a member of Japanese boy band Ae! Group and the actor playing Jushimatsu in the film, on suspicion of indecent exposure. Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested Kusama on that date, and streaming service TVer announced on the same day that it would suspend streaming of content featuring him.
The first Mr. Osomatsu live action film adapted the popular anime and manga franchise, which follows the six Matsuno sextuplet brothers. The sequel was one of the more anticipated Japanese theatrical releases of the coming winter, and the indefinite delay leaves its future uncertain until a new date is officially announced.
My take: Situations like this are always difficult. The film involves a large cast and crew whose work is now in limbo through no fault of their own, and the production team is clearly trying to handle the circumstances carefully. Hopefully a path forward becomes clear soon so the rest of the people involved can see their work reach audiences.
