Koichi Sakamoto's Gunblade Sets Korea Debut, Europe and U.S. to Follow

Tokusatsu filmmaker and Power Rangers veteran director Koichi Sakamoto, known for Travelers, 009-1, Red X Pink, and Innocent Lillies, was confirmed to be directing a new Korean television series titled Gunblade, according to a report from FilmCombatSyndicate.

Per the accompanying press release, Gunblade was set to be unveiled at the 2014 Licensing Expo at Mandalay Bay Convention Center on June 17, with an eight-minute preview and an interactive meet-and-greet with one of the show’s heroes at the Kocca booth. The series was produced by Gunblade Culture Industry SPC, a South Korean production company under A mate Inc., and follows the six-member Gunblade Team as they defend humanity against the villainous Dr. Dexter and his supercomputer, Olympus, who resurrects an ancient destructive clan called Gothic. Team members use a smartphone-style device called the GB Drive to summon weapons, shields, and their armored suits.

Sakamoto was quoted framing the project as an extension of the appeal of superhero programming across age groups, tying it to the same childhood admiration that drew him into the genre. The production carried a reported $20 million budget, with filming set to begin in August 2014 and a Korean broadcast planned as early as March 2015. Distribution to other Asian markets was slated for June and September 2015, with a Europe and United States release targeted for January 2016.