The Japanese film and entertainment industry is notoriously strict on celebrities when it comes to drug usage or alcohol. Recently, an actor was under fire for a drunken break-in which had an effect on his upcoming movie.
According to Anime News Network, the website for the Baban Baban Ban Vampire movie announced that the film is postponed due to “various circumstances.” The film, which was set for a February 14 release date in Japan, also had a preview screening on January 21. To no one’s surprise, the screening was canceled. A release date for the vampire film will be confirmed at a later date.
Reasons for the postponement suggest that the actor playing Ranmaru Mori, Ryō Yoshizawa, was brought into question by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police about an incident that took place on December 30 last year. Apparently, the 30-year-old actor was drunk and allegedly went into his neighbor’s apartment unit rather than his own.
On January 6, the actor’s talent agency, AMUSE, released a statement confirming the incident and mentioned that Yoshizawa apologized for his inconvenience to his neighbor. Moreover, the agency claimed that the actor has also moved out of his apartment.
AMUSE reported on January 14 that a settlement has been finalized between the actor and the neighbor with the latter forgiving Yoshizawa’s drunken entry into the wrong apartment unit. In the statement, Yoshizawa gave a personal apology, taking full responsibility for the incident and promised to reevaluate himself and become a more mature individual.
The movie is based on Hiromasa Okujima’s Baban Baban Ban Vampire manga, which launched in Akita Shoten’s Bessatsu Shōnen Champion magazine in October 2021.
Other actors starring in the film alongside Yoshizawa include Rihito Itagaki as Rihito Tatsuno and Nanoka Hara as Aoi Shinozuka.
A television anime adaptation also premiered on January 10 and is produced by animation studio Gaina.
