Shane Kosugi Directs Kansuke Asano in Action Film Forty-Nine SEEK
The film represents a DIY independent action project that gained global festival recognition before securing a theatrical release, with the Kosugi brothers joining as a major draw.
Reporting from 1 sources: Cinema Today.
The film Forty-Nine SEEK, produced by and starring Chinese martial arts world champion Kansuke Asano and directed by Shane Kosugi, will be released in Japan from July 31, 2026. Kane Kosugi also appears, forming a brother tag team. The film has won 82 awards at international film festivals.
The film Forty-Nine SEEK, produced by and starring Chinese martial arts world champion Kansuke Asano and directed by Shane Kosugi, will be released sequentially nationwide from July 31, 2026. Shane's older brother Kane Kosugi also appears, forming what the production calls a brother tag team for action fans. The film is based on the premise of ninjas surviving in modern times and follows agents of the non-governmental organization Forty-Nine (SEEK). Asano and Shane Kosugi met at the Sho Kosugi Dojo in their teens and have been collaborators for 30 years. The project started as a DIY independent production filmed on a riverbed, without ample budget or major capital. Kane Kosugi joined after resonating with his brother's aspirations. The film has been selected at 42 film festivals in 17 countries and won 82 awards in 12 countries as of May 18, 2026. The runtime is 93 minutes of non-stop action without reliance on wires, CG, or speed editing.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.