Gran Turismo revolves around the true story of gamer-turned-racer Jann Mardenborough, but the film also features video game creator Kazunori Yamauchi as a character. Yamauchi, a professional racecar driver and the designer of the film’s titular racing simulator, is shown developing the game in the opening scene of the film. His appearance provides context for the rest of the film, explaining how Yamauchi created the game so that anyone could experience a realistic racing simulator.
Since Gran Turismo is based on a true story, realistic portrayal was a major concern. Given the racing game’s massive, dedicated fanbase, filmmakers faced intense pressure to depict Gran Turismo sim driving accurately. The real Jann Mardenborough, who also served as a co-producer, even appeared onscreen as the stunt double for his own character. Though Yamauchi appears only briefly as a character in the film, it was vital to find the perfect actor to portray him.
Takehiro Hira Plays Kazunori Yamauchi In The Gran Turismo Movie
Kazunori Yamauchi is portrayed by Japanese actor Takehiro Hira, who has been appearing on stage and screen since 2001. His portrayal of shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu in the 2008 historical drama series Atsuhime brought him to widespread attention. Hira is well-known for playing the lead role of detective Kenzo Mori in the British crime drama Giri/Haji; he was also cast as Kenta in Snake Eyes (2021).
Gran Turismo, interestingly, is not Hira’s first appearance in a film based on a video game; in 2012, he appeared in Ace Attorney, a Japanese comedy-drama based on the Capcom video game Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Hira was cast as Gregory Edgeworth, a major figure in the film’s central court case. However, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, a visual novel about the exploits of a young defense lawyer, has very little in common with Gran Turismo, so it would take a truly well-rounded gamer to notice Hira’s appearance in both.
Kazunori Yamauchi Has A Small Cameo In The Gran Turismo Movie
Though Takehiro Hira plays the character of Kazunori Yamauchi, the real Yamauchi also appears in the film. For an experienced racecar driver like Yamauchi, a cameo appearance as a driver would have been an easy way to show off his skills; however, Yamauchi shows up in a much more understated setting. When Jann Mardenborough visits Japan, he and his love interest Audrey stop off at a Sushi restaurant, where they are served by a smiling chef played by none other than Kazunori Yamauchi.
The cameo, like most cameos, is brief, with Yamauchi only visible for a few seconds. This makes spotting him a bit of a challenge, but his appearance will not be lost on dedicated Gran Turismo fans. Since Gran Turismo is essentially a love letter to racing games and racing itself, it would never have been complete without a mention of Kazunori Yamauchi; therefore, it’s fitting that he appears twice, once as a character portrayed by an actor and once as himself.
Gran Turismo can be rented or purchased on YouTube, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime.
Gran Turismo
Based on the video game franchise and the true story surrounding it, Gran Turismo is a film adaptation arriving in 2023 from PlayStation Productions. The story will center around a teenage Gran Turismo player whose consistent winning streak in the games put him through a series of Nissan competitions, where he eventually became a real-life professional driver.
