Rookie actress to play heroine in "Elite Yankee Saburo" flick

[Tokyograph News]

The "Elite Yankee Saburo" movie that was announced last month now has a lead actress. 17-year-old newcomer Hikaru Yamamoto will play Haruna, the gamer girlfriend of the titular "hero" Saburo (Hideo Ishiguro).

The movie is a follow-up to TV Tokyo's live-action television series, which was adapted from a gag manga by Shuji Abe. The story revolves around a teenage otaku named Saburo whose two older brothers were infamous troublemakers. Because of their reputation, he is instantly mislabeled as an "elite yankee" upon entering high school, leading to comic misadventures.

In the television drama, Haruna was played by idol Kana Kurashina. She is now replaced by Yamamoto, who is making her third movie appearance, though this is her first major role. She reportedly hopes to become "the next Juri Ueno."

Director Yudai Yamaguchi has already started shooting the picture, which is expected to be released next spring.

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