When writing the script for the Tokyo Revengers live action adaptation sequel, led by original manga author Ken Wakui, the idea was to just make one movie. “But it ended up being a blockbuster script that was over three and a half hours long. We all had a lot of discussions about the best way to present it,” producer Okada Shota explains. The final script took twice as long to complete as the first movie.

It was decided then for the sequel that it be split to two parts, with the first one, Tokyo Revengers 2: Bloody Halloween- Destiny building up suspense.  “’Bloody Halloween’ has a strong mystery element,” says Ken Wakui while discussing the film with producer Okada. The mystery of part one will then lead into a thrilling conclusion with  Tokyo Revengers 2: Bloody Halloween- Decisive Battle.

As filming began, it’s clear that the cast were putting their all into the movie. “We greeted the first day with a good sense of nervousness. I think there was some pressure on whether we could bring ourselves to our best condition,” says producer Okada, recounting the early days of filming. Takumi Kitamura, who plays the main protagonist Takemichi Hanagaki, has been a constant source of strength to the cast and crew. Producer Okada says, “Kitamura-kun is the kind of person who can overcome even the most difficult scenes with a smile on his face. Even when we stumbled on something on set, the English team was all about lifting us up to try to complete the project somehow, and Kitamura-kun was always at the center of that.”

The other cast members also brought not only their skills to the table, but camaraderie that helped filming become an enjoyable experience. Ryo Yoshizawa embodied his role as Mikey, dominating scenes and bringing the cast together with what producer Okada describes as his “tremendous sense of stability”. Mio Imada, who plays Takemichi’s girlfriend Hinata, had a lovely presence during filming and producer Okada believes that in Tokyo Revengers 2: Bloody Halloween- Decisive Battle, her character has ”She has more personality as a heroine than in the previous work.”

Watch how it all ends as Tokyo Revengers 2: Bloody Halloween- Decisive Battle opens in cinemas starting February 7, an Encore Films film distributed by Warner Bros.