Live-Action Film Based on Lucky Star Town Screened

Television drama director Keiichi Kitagawa unveiled Washimiya*Story (Washimiya*Monogatari), a film based on the story of the town of Washimiya, on April 10. The town is home to the Washinomiya shrine and other locations which Kyoto Animation used as inspiration for locales in its anime adaptation of Kagami Yoshimizu's 2004 manga Lucky Star. After the anime and its opening sequence became a significant hit with anime fans, the shrine and town went through a tourist boom that brought in over 1 billion yen (about US$11 million) as fans made "pilgrimages" specifically to the Lucky Star shrine. Yoshimizu and the anime's voice actresses also made an official visit several months after the anime's conclusion.

The film stars Toru Kamitsuru, of Watanabe Entertainment's D-BOYS acting group, as a young man who returns to his hometown, Washimiya, to come up with a concept for a film. While visiting, however, he learns that his hometown has become a haven for anime fans due to its appearance in an anime series. The film also features former AKB48 members Yuka Masuda and Ayumi Orii. Kitagawa was inspired to make a full movie after the creation of a comedic short parodying the scenario.

The film has been screened at events in Japan since April, and Cinema Today reports that its distribution is in the hands of the Washimiya Chamber of Commerce. An official website and a 30-second trailer for the movie are available online.