The only thing better than hearing Keanu say “Wake up samurai” is hearing him say it in Japanese.
It’s been an action-packed week for Hollywood action star Keanu Reeves. Since touching down in Japan last week, he visited far-flung rural islands in the Seto Inland Sea, met up with a denim designer in Okayama Prefecture, and posed like a ninja with J-pop idol Kyary Pamyu Pamyu at the John Wick 3 premiere in Tokyo.
On his way out to Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture, where he boarded a commercial flight back home, Reeves stopped off at the Tokyo Game Show at Chiba’s Makuhari Messe, making an appearance at the Cyberpunk 2077 booth for the local press.
Reeves, who’s set to star as Johnny Silverhand in the upcoming RPG, posed on the game’s custom Yaiba Kusanagi motorcycle and penned a message on the wall of the booth.
Don't drop below 50mph!#Cyberpunk2077 #TGS2019 pic.twitter.com/s8zfijnTSD
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) September 11, 2019
▼ He also posed with CD Projekt Red staff, who were thrilled to see him.
おはようございます!
— 西尾勇輝(にしおじ) (@Nishio_EE) September 12, 2019
今日から #TGS2019 始まります!
皆さん、お待ちしております!
そしてなんと昨日、キアヌ・リーブスさんが #サイバーパンク2077 ブースに来てくれました!
写真まで一緒に撮っていただき、本当に気さくな方でした。
まさにBREATHTAKING!!! pic.twitter.com/rmzluXicYt
Reeves also had some words for the media, inviting gamers to attend the Tokyo Game Show, where they would be able to watch some exclusive gameplay from the yet-to-be-available new release.
▼ Watch as Reeves says “Wake up, samurai” (“Me wo samase yo, samurai“) in Japanese at the end.
#サイバーパンク2077 でジョニー・シルヴァーハンドを演じるキアヌ・リーブスさんから、ゲームを楽しみに待つ日本のファンに向けたスペシャルメッセージが到着!
— CD PROJEKT RED Japan (@CDPRJP) September 13, 2019
最後にはあのセリフも…😎🎸 #TGS2019 pic.twitter.com/dCDCAgkciP
Japanese gamers loved Keanu’s delivery of the epic line, which has become an unofficial catchphrase for the game since it was revealed as part of the Cyberpunk 2077 trailer back in April.
▼ Hear the Japanese version of the full line without swear words — “Wake up, samurai. We have a city to burn” — below.
( ˇωˇ ) pic.twitter.com/gSxH9zXWxA
— グミンコ (@Guminko_1228) September 12, 2019
Reeves wasn’t the only star to visit the Cyberpunk booth, as Hideo Kojima, whom Reeves met up with earlier on his trip to Japan, also made an appearance during the game show.
CYBERPUNK 2077👍😍 pic.twitter.com/2L7pl54lak
— 小島秀夫 (@Kojima_Hideo) September 12, 2019
The legendary video game designer, writer, director and producer seemed just as excited for the game’s release as everyone else at the show.
▼ We can’t help but wonder if this jacket will soon be available as official merch and if Reeves hand-delivered it to Kojima while he was in Tokyo.
2077👍😍 pic.twitter.com/ndIWIJYVG8
— 小島秀夫 (@Kojima_Hideo) September 13, 2019
With a scheduled release date of 16 April 2020, we still have to endure a long seven-month wait before we get to see Reeves strut his stuff in the game world of Cyberpunk 2077.
That’s all the more reason to head out to the Tokyo Game Show this weekend for a look at the Cyberpunk booth, which will be on view to the public until the show wraps up on 15 September.
Source: Hachima Kikou
Featured image: Instagram/sakurai_scs
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