Tokyo Ghoul Live-Action Film Debuts First Still Image

Fans of Tokyo Ghoul, brace yourself. It looks like the thrilling horror series will be making a comeback next summer thanks to Kentarō Hagiwara. The director is in-charge of the upcoming live-action Tokyo Ghoul flick, and the project has just released its first still image.

Earlier today, the official website for the film posted the first image from Tokyo Ghoul. The picture features Masatake Kubota who is playing Ken Kaneki, the series’ main protagonist. The actor, who is best-known for playing Light Yagami in the Death Note films, looks fairly threatening. The actor’s eyes are shadowed by black bangs, and he is holding Ken’s iconic Ghoul mask in front of his face.

If you’re clamoring over the black leather mask, then you are not the only one. Shortly after the picture was shared, the folks behind Tokyo Ghoul confirmed Japanese designer Masanori Morikawa was behind the costumes. The creator, who has made stage costumes for KISS and Lady Gaga, designed all the masks for the film.

“I myself have been a big fan of the manga series, so I really appreciate for giving me this opportunity. The masks and costumes used in the film were newly designed by me, expanding the images of the manga with the director. I hope the fans of the Tokyo Ghoul manga will like it,” Morikawa said in a statement.

The announcement also included the sketched designs for Ken’s Ghoul mask. The artwork puts the mask’s over-the-top teeth and eye-patch on full display for fans to see.

In the coming months, fans will hopefully see more footage from Tokyo Ghoul. The film finished shooting in September and is currently slated for a release in summer 2017. The horror film stars Masataka Kubota as the lead along with Fumika Shimizu who plays Tōka Kirishima.

Not familiar with Tokyo Ghoul? No worries; You still have plenty of time to catch-up on the show. The series debuted in September 2011 thanks to mangaka Sui Ishida. Weekly Young Jump first published the manga before it was adapted into an anime series by Pierrot. The anime premiered in July 2014 before a second season ran in January 2015. A third season has also been confirmed though no official release date has been attached to the project so far.

Tokyo Ghoul is set in an alternate reality where creatures known as ghouls exist. The horrifying monsters survive by consuming human flesh and live amongst humans in secret. The story follows a boy named Ken Kaneki after a date-gone-wrong leaves him a half-ghoul. Struggling to adapt to his new life, Ken tries his best to fit into ghoul society, keep his monstrous status hidden from humans, and reign in the insatiable hunger he has for flesh.

[H/T] Crunchyroll