Chapter 264

Please Go Watch the Live ActPSIon Movie! is the 264th chapter of The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan) manga series published on the 23rd of October 2017.

Characters

 * Saiki Kusuo
 * Saiki Kuniharu
 * Teruhashi Makoto
 * Shiragami Fudekichi
 * Toritsuka Reita (mentioned)

Abilities Used

 * Super Strength
 * Telepathy

Short Summary
One of Kusuo's favorite manga series is getting a live action movie and he gets annoyed on the matter. Kuniharu takes him to the set of the movie to change his mind on how it is actually a good thing. Kusuo is still annoyed on several aspects but in the end he watches it and likes it.

Long Summary
At home, Kusuo is surprised to find out that “Silent Cyborg” is getting a live action movie adaptation. He closes the magazine and sighs on how there is another live action movie adaptation. Kusuo explains that many manga or anime series lately have been quickly made to have a live action movie. While it is not bad to extend the audience, he states that not everything needs to be made as one since some things can only be accomplished in 2D. Forcing things into 3D can lead to bad characters and story and will make him feel like his favorite series are tainted, which is unacceptable for fans of the original source. Kusuo then hears Kuniharu slam the door and questions him since he looks angry. Kuniharu attacks him and tells him to shut up. Kusuo is surprised and asks him what he is doing. Kuniharu tells him to not complain before he watches it and punches him.

Kusuo continues his explanation by saying some things can be accomplished only in 3D too and admits Kuniharu is right too. Kuniharu asks if he understands, Kusuo tells him sorry about it. Kuniharu, completely beaten up, asks Kusuo if he can get his foot off of him. He does and tells him he does not understand his feelings for the live action. Kuniharu tells him he too was surprised when he first heard the news. Kusuo wonders why this is since the series is not very popular. Kuniharu explains the director of the movie found the manga on his son’s bookshelf, read it and liked it. Kusuo wonders where he has heard this story before. Shrugging it off, Kusuo wonders if they will be able to adapt it well enough and Kuniharu tells him they should go see for themselves. Kusuo questions him.

Kusuo sees many behind the scenes crew working. Kusuo asks if his assumption is right about it being the film’s set, and Kuniharu tells him he is correct and it is their first day filming. Kusuo asks him if it is okay for him to be there. Kuniharu tells him it is but he has to help out since they are short on extras and do not touch anything. Kusuo, understanding, says he is not a child and turns to find the main character’s sword and gets excited. He is amazed that they got it quite accurately and touches it, Kuniharu has to remind him to not touch anything. Kusuo then goes to see the main character’s motorcycle and touches it as well, Kuniharu yells at him to stop and gives him the copy of the script to hopefully stop him. Kusuo is amazed and sees that the script has the name of the cast members. He finds out the main character is going to be acted by Kokomi’s older brother, Makoto, and is highly disgusted. Kuniharu asks him if he found out about Makoto. Kusuo is unpleased since the character is usually emotionless but Makoto is the exact opposite. He believes this movie is going to be like the other live action movies, they will just hire famous actors. Kuniharu attacks him, again to tell him to shut up, and Kusuo barely dodges him. He asks him why he judges before seeing anything and punches him again.

Someone announces that Makoto will be coming soon and Kuniharu tells him to watch. Kusuo is annoyed but once he sees Makoto dressed up exactly like the character, he is amazed. Kuniharu asks Kusuo what he thinks and Kusuo just nervously says he does look like him. Another actor is announced, and Kusuo also questions the choice for the character. Once again he is surprised when the actor is dressed like said character. Kuniharu tells him it is all on the special effects makeup. Kusuo questions how the actor agreed to this. Kuniharu states that the original author, Shiragami-sensei, was involved in the casting process and they are with his approval.

A flashback of the meeting is shown. Actor names and characters are thrown in and Shiragami-sensei just nervously agrees to each and every one. Kusuo comments that it looks like he was not really involved. Someone then suggests a female celebrity for a character, Shiragami-sensei questions if the female is the one he knows. The person says it is and Shiragami-sensei puts his foot down by saying she can not play that role. He explains that the character is flat-chested, that celebrity is known to have a big chest, if she is cast into the role then he would stop the production. Kusuo is surprised that this is the one thing he would not agree with. It is explained they cast the role to a different female and Kusuo comments she does look like her. The actress feels like someone said something bad about her.

Kuniharu questions Kusuo if his opinion has changed since coming to the set. Kusuo explains he is a bit interested now. It was then called the original character of the film and Kusuo is in shock. Kuniheru explains that the character is important to the film. Kusuo is highly annoyed since it can cause the movie to move away from the original source. Kuniharu tells him that it sometimes happens due to the circumstances. Kusuo questions him on why he did not attack him this time. Kuniharu laughs it off, saying it is okay since they will not do that type of thing. Kusuo asks him what he meant and wonders if they are talking about another movie. Kuniharu tells him there is no other movie and Kusuo asks him what he is doing and talking about. He shrugs it off by saying they will move on.

A crew member mentions that all the cast members have arrived and Kusuo is surprised. He questions where other beloved characters are and wonders if they will not be involved. He goes into the script, finds none of them are there, and realizes his assumption is correct. He is annoyed that they are introducing an original character but not bring in canon characters. Kuniharu comes to attack him once again, restates his earlier argument that circumstances can occur to lead to this, and headbutts him. Kusuo tells him that is not a valid excuse and tells him to stop. Kuniharu mentions some character names, including one called Toritsuka, will not be in the film. Kusuo asks him why he named out a classmate of his. Kuniharu, ignoring him, says it is just for the best for the film to be good. The movie is there for the original fans as well as those who have not read the manga yet. There is only a limit of time when making these movies, so there has to be stuff that is cut from the original, but they are created for both viewers. Kusuo says he is right, since those who do not know the work would obviously be confused. Kuniharu further explains it is okay for some characters not to be in since the author can use it as a joke. Kusuo explains that type of joke can only work in gag manga. Kuniharu also tells him that the director left some characters so he can focus on the main character, and Kusuo just slightly agrees with him.

It is announced that they will rehearse the final scene, and the main character will die from poison. Kusuo is deeply surprised and asks Kuniharu about it. Kuniharu tells him that filming is not always in order. Kusuo corrects him that he is not asking about that, he is asking about the death since it did not happen in the manga and if it did that would be the end of the series. Kuniharu explains the movie has an original story, since the series is ongoing it will have an original ending. Kusuo is angered by this concept and tells him he will not watch the film and will go home. Kuniharu tells him to wait.

Fast forward to the premiere day of the film. The main character is dying and tells another character that they are thankful since they finally learned what is true happiness. The credits roll and Kusuo, with his germanium ring on and smiling, says the film was great.

Trivia

 * When Kusuo mentions he has heard Kuniharu’s story about the director before, it is a reference to Saiki’s own live action movie. The director found a few manga volumes of the series on his son’s bookshelf and liked it.
 * Likewise, when Kuniharu mentions there will not be any original character, it is about the Saiki movie. There were no major original characters in the film.