Story Categories: box office, Exhibition/theaters, Film, Japan, Shochiku,

   One addition is "Kamogawa Horumo," a coming-of-age pic set in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto based on a best-selling novel by Manabu Makime. The helmer is Katsuhide Motoki, who made "Gegege Kitaro," a hit kiddy fantasy for Shochiku last year. Shooting will start in April, with release skedded for 2009.

   Another is "Panda-ful Life," Shochiku's first theatrical docu, with a panda hero. Release is set for late August. 

   Still another big title for 2009, announced at Cannes last year, is "Yona Yona Penguin," an all 3-D CG toon helmed by Rintaro ("Metropolis") and
produced by the Madhouse toon house.

   Also, getting buzz from abroad is "Goemon," the new pic by Kazuaki Kiriya ("Casshern"), based on the life and exploits of legendary bandit Ishikawa Goemon, and "Yatterman," a sci-fi actioner by Takashi Miike based on an iconic 1970s TV toon of the same title. Both are penciled in for a 2009 bow.

  Teruki Matsumoto, the Shochiku exec in charge of theatrical planning, told reporters that Shochiku is aiming for a total BO of Y20 billion ($185 million) in 2008, compared with the Y60 billion ($555 million) forecast by archival Toho.