Ikuta Toma to Star in "Motel"

Finally Toma Ikuta will come up to the big screen! XD

Yukio Okada's Motel Manga Gets Seaside Motel Film

Wed, September 9, 2009

A live-action Seaside Motel film adaptation of Yukio Okada's Motel manga has been green-lit with lead actor Toma Ikuta (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e: Ikemen Paradise, Akihabara @ DEEP) from the Johnny's Jr. idol talent firm. As the film's title implies, the story is set in a motel called Seaside. Brought together by chance, a number of young men and women check into the motel and cross paths. Ikuta will play Kameda, a salesman peddling a fake cosmetic cream. Kumiko Asou (Casshern, Yunagi City, Sakura Country, Ring Ø: Birthday) will co-star as Candy, a call girl in her 20s, with whom Kameda falls in love.

Okada serialized the manga in Nihonbungeisha's Bessatsu Manga Goraku magazine, and it was compiled into one book volume last year. Kentarō Moriya is directing his first feature film after his debut outing in the school comedy School Daze (no relation to Spike Lee's film of the same name). Filming on Seaside Motel began in Guam on August 30, and the film will open in Japan next year.

Source: Hollywood Channel, Ticket Pia

From another article...

Toma Ikuta, Kumiko Aso star in "Seaside Motel"

Thu, September 10, 2009 (2:28am EDT)

Yukio Okada's manga "MOTEL" is being turned into a live-action film, starring popular young actor Toma Ikuta (24). This is Ikuta's second movie role, after the Osamu Dazai adaptation "Ningen Shikkaku" ("No Longer Human") which is scheduled for release next year...

The manga is full of distinctive characters, but none of the film's supporting cast have been announced, other than stage actors Masaaki Akahori and Seiji Nozoe, playing a pair of cops.

"Seaside Hotel" is being directed by Kentaro Moriya, whose only other feature-length film is the 2005 picture "School Daze." ...

Source: Tokyograph

Toma is such a great actor. I'm just frustrated why it took time for them to put him on the big screen.