The successful live-action 'Chihayafuru' is now becoming a TV drama!
There is a manga (or anime, etc.) work called Chihayafuru that I have covered as an article topic several times on my note. It is a work that brought the subject of 'competitive karuta'—something that seemed familiar to Japanese people but was actually little understood—to the attention of not only Japan but the rest of the world as well.
While 'Chihayafuru' can be considered one of the more successful live-action adaptations of a manga, news was recently shared that this work is now becoming a TV drama.
The broadcast starts on July 9th. ...Wait, that's soon!
The title is Chihayafuru -Meguri-. The story appears to be an original one for this drama.
The original 'Chihayafuru' manga concluded in 2022, spanning 50 volumes, which is quite a lot for a shojo manga. And as a sequel to this, a manga titled Chihayafuru plus Kimigatame is currently being serialized.
However, the drama 'Chihayafuru -Meguri-' will depict something different from this 'Chihayafuru plus Kimigatame'.
Depicting something not in the original work might invite both praise and criticism, but since the original author, Suetsugu-sensei, has been involved since the plotting stage, I think we can be somewhat reassured.
Connection to the theatrical films
Usually, I would think, 'Another manga live-action adaptation? Isn't it just going to feel weird? Please stop ruining the image of the original work,' but there is a sense of security that it will be fine if it's 'Chihayafuru'.
I believe that is because of the high quality of the three theatrical 'Chihayafuru' films that were made.
And since the main cast members from those films will also appear in the drama as their '10-years-later' selves, I'm curious about that as well.
Story
In the original 'Chihayafuru', the story depicted the protagonist Chihaya fighting against students from other schools as part of the Mizusawa High School Karuta Club (and eventually aiming to become the Queen), but in this '-Meguri-', the Mizusawa High School Karuta Club is in the position of a powerhouse school standing in the way of the protagonists.
Chihaya is the current advisor for that Mizusawa High School Karuta Club. Opposing her as the advisor for the Umezono High School Karuta Club, to which the protagonists belong, is Oe-san, who once fought alongside Chihaya in the same karuta club.
They are in the position of advisors rather than players, but the dynamic of former teammates now facing each other as opponents is also interesting.
I don't usually watch much TV drama, but I've found myself wanting to watch this 'Chihayafuru -Meguri-'. I'm not sure if I'll watch it during the actual broadcast or wait until it's available for streaming online, but I'll probably end up watching it.
The 'Chihayafuru' fever, which had settled down once the original manga reached its final chapter, feels like it is being reignited.
As proof of that, I find myself wanting to rewatch the anime and reread the manga from the very beginning.
I am looking forward to 'Chihayafuru -Meguri-', which will be broadcast this summer.