Japanese director Katsuyuki Motohiro, whose 1998 cop comedy Bayside Shakedown grossed nearly $100m at the Japanese box office, has started production on SF drama Satore.

The film stars hot male TV star Masanobu Ando as a mind-reading doctor whose gift becomes a national treasure - and personal misery. It marks the first collaboration of the Nippon Television Network, Tokuma Publishing, which owns the Studio Ghibli animation house, and Robot, Motohiro's production company.

Satore is scheduled to wrap December 15. Distributor Toho plans to release the film in Japan next spring.