Jun Mayuzuki, known for his manga "Love is Like After the Rain," which was also made into a TV anime and a live-action movie, has announced that his latest work, "Kowloon Generic Romance," will be made into a TV anime and a live-action movie in 2025. The cast has also been announced, with voice actors Haruka Shiraishi and Tomokazu Sugita playing the dual lead roles in the TV anime, and actors Riho Yoshioka and Koshi Mizukami playing the dual lead roles of Kujirai Reiko and Kudo Hajime, respectively. Character visuals and a special trailer for the TV anime and movie have also been released.
The series is a mystery love romance that has been serialized in Weekly Young Jump (Shueisha) since November 2019. Kujirai Reiko, who works at a real estate agency in the nostalgic city of Kowloon, has a slight crush on her senior at work, Kudo Hajime, and when she happens to find a photo, she finds out that Kudo had a fiance who looked just like her in the past... Lost memories, another self, and a huge secret hidden in the city of Kowloon - as the past, present, and future intersect, love will unravel the secrets. Nine volumes of the manga have been released, with the latest volume, volume 10, due for release on October 18th. The total number of copies published is over one million.
Original author Mayuzuki commented, "Congratulations! On the double media adaptation of the anime and live-action series! I feel that I have been blessed with great people for both the anime and the live-action series. I am happy to say that many of the actors and staff are fans of the original work, so I feel like I was able to show my good luck here. I am truly grateful. I was able to visit both sets, and there were many moments that made my heart warm. I can't wait for the day when this passion reaches everyone. Please look forward to it!"
Shiraishi, who plays Kujirai Reiko in the anime, said, "I had read the work before I heard about the audition, and I had fantasized about someday seeing it in an anime... and if possible, being involved... so when I heard that I had passed the audition I was really surprised and just happy! I want to live in Kowloon with all my might as Reiko."
Sugita, who plays Kudo Hatsu in the anime, commented, "There's no need to be on edge. You don't need any extra energy when you're dreaming. Right? ... Oh, I've found Kojiwa."
Yoshioka, who plays Kujirai Reiko in the film, said, "This film is a pure and heartbreaking mystery romance about a woman who continues to love people even as she loses track of whether she exists or not. The main character, Reiko, has an uncertain existence, but I believed that she really does exist as a living person, and I approached filming while cherishing the true emotions that arose on the spot. I struggled during filming, but Reiko's process of finding her true self linked with the real world, and I was able to concentrate and empathize with her. The careful work of the staff saved me many times. I'm grateful to my co-stars for the many discussions we had. I think the team came together to capture footage that has never been seen before. I hope you look forward to the film's release."
Mizukami, who plays Kudo Hatsu in the film, commented, "The time I spent living as Kudo Hatsu is a treasure to me, and I feel that the time I spent there will be a major event in my life going forward. Please wait just a little longer until the film is released."
