JO stars as Kotani Kaboku in the live-action Wandance film, which opens November 27. Three scene photos of RAN as Itsukushima Ioji were released.
JO's only current credit in these stories is the lead role of Kotani Kaboku in the live-action Wandance film. The film adapts Coffee's manga and opens November 27. The production released three scene photos of RAN of MAZZEL as Itsukushima Ioji, the character positioned between Kabo and the dance-battle world.
Director Kusaba Naoya said he senses no lie in RAN's passion for dance, and RAN said he and Ioji share a dance background and a similar attitude toward dance. The manga has surpassed 1.3 million copies in circulation. JO appears in the coverage as the film's Kaboku, named in the cast line of the photo announcement.
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Three scene photos of RAN of MAZZEL as Itsukushima Ioji have been released from the live-action Wandance film, opening November 27. The film adapts Coffee's manga, which has surpassed 1.3 million copies in circulation, and stars JO as Kotani Kaboku. RAN said he and Ioji share a dance background and a similar attitude toward dance, and director Kusaba Naoya said he senses no lie in RAN's passion for dance.
A live-action film adaptation of Coffee's manga "Wandance" has been announced, with JO of the nine-member boy group &TEAM starring as protagonist Kabo (Kaboku Kotani). The film is set for a nationwide release on November 27, 2026. The story follows Kabo, a young man who struggles with a stutter and suppresses his feelings to avoid standing out, until he meets Hikari Wanda, who dances freely without caring what others think. Inspired by her, Kabo enters the world of dance as a novice. The manga, serialized in Monthly Afternoon, has 15 volumes published and received a TV anime adaptation in 2025. JO makes his film debut and first lead role with this project. He commented that he initially felt shock rather than joy at the casting, but after reading the original work he found similarities between himself and Kabo. The film is directed by Naoya Kusaba, known for "Yukiko a.k.a.," with a script by Keiichi Kobayashi. Dance supervision is handled by Charisma Kantaro, founder of the professional dance league D.LEAGUE. Two character visuals and a character video have been released. Filming took place in winter 2025, and the film is currently in post-production. The production and distribution is handled by Happinet Phantom Studios.