It was revealed on February 14th that a new drama based on the popular manga "Chihayafuru" by Yuki Suetsugu, which is themed around competitive karuta, will be broadcast as a serial drama on the Nippon Television Network in July. It will be an original story that depicts a world 10 years after the trilogy of films "Kami no Ku" and "Shimo no Ku" in 2016 and "Musubi" in 2018. The title is "Chihayafuru -Meguri-", and with a completely new cast from the films, it will tell a new story of high school students in the Reiwa era taking on competitive karuta.
"Chihayafuru" is a manga that was serialized in "BE・LOVE" (Kodansha) from 2007 to 2022. The story is about Ayase Chihaya, who awakens to the charm of competitive karuta through her encounter with transfer student Wataya Arata, and becomes passionate about karuta together with her childhood friend Mashima Taichi and the other unique members of the karuta club.
In 2009, it won the 2nd Manga Taisho Award in 2009, and was ranked first in the female category of the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2010. In 2011, it won numerous awards, including the 35th Kodansha Manga Award in the girls' category. It was also adapted into a TV anime series, with the first season airing in 2011, the second in 2013, and the third season in 2019-2020. The series has sold over 29 million copies in total. Chihayafuru will be completed with 50 volumes of the manga in 2022. Chihayafuru is currently being serialized as Chihayafuru plus Kimigatame, which depicts the Mizusawa Karuta Club after Chihaya and her friends graduate.
The live-action trilogy stars a star-studded cast including Hirose, Shuhei Nomura, Mackenyu, Mone Kamishiraishi Kamishiraishi, Kento Kaku, Kento Kaku, Mayu Matsuoka, and Kaya Kiyohara. The total box office revenue for the series has exceeded 4.5 billion yen, setting a new milestone for coming-of-age films.
The main staff of the movie also participated in this drama adaptation. The original author, Suetsugu, commented, "The drama is based on the world line of the movie, but develops an original story that is not in the original work. As the original author, I have been involved from the plot stage of the script, and I am very excited to see how it will shine when it is brought to life on screen."
He said he was impressed by the new cast members who have been training hard in competitive karuta to play high school students in the Reiwa era, and expressed his hopes that "through this production on television, I will be able to convey the joy of working hard to children and their families."
Producer Mayuko Sakakibara said that she has had many discussions with Suetsugu and commented, "Just as the author loved each and every character in Chihayafuru and gave meaning to their lives, I intend to carefully weave the lives of the characters in Chihayafuru –Meguri-."
Regarding the new cast, he commented, "We have gathered new cast members to help us weave the story of Chihayafuru -Meguri-." He added, "Everyone has been practicing karuta desperately since last summer. Please keep an eye on their performance as they take over from the many senior actors who appeared in the film Chihayafuru."
Comments from those involved are as follows:
◇Original author: Yuki Suetsugu
"Chihayafuru" is embarking on a new challenge! It is being adapted into a TV drama based on the world line of the movie, but with an original story not found in the original work. As the original author, I have been involved from the plot stage of the script, and I am always excited to see how it will shine when it is brought to life on screen. Every time I watch the new characters from 10 years later, I am impressed and think, "This Chihayafuru is great too!"
And the way the actors grow as they practice competitive karuta is a constant source of surprise. Watching them improve with each practice is like a condensed drama. I feel that the story is getting deeper thanks to their serious attitude and the personalities of the actors.
I sincerely hope that this series will be able to deliver the joy of working hard to children and their families through television. I hope that we can all enjoy this new world of "Chihayafuru" together.
◇ Showrunner Norihiro Koizumi (director and screenwriter of the film "Chihayafuru")
Nearly 10 years have passed since the release of the feature film trilogy "Chihayafuru."
Even now, I have many opportunities to hear people's thoughts about the film and its impact on them, and I feel that it has become a film that will be loved for a long time, just as I sincerely hoped when I made it, and it makes me feel truly rewarded as a filmmaker.
On the other hand, these 10 years may be a short time compared to the Hyakunin Isshu, but for finite beings like us, it is by no means short, and as we all know, even among the things that remain the same, there are also many things that change. Over the past 10 years, the movie "Chihayafuru" may have played a certain role in encouraging them, especially the younger generation, and in giving them hope for their lives.
But what about the next 10 years?
In my mind, the movie "Chihayafuru" is complete, and that opinion remains unchanged. However, just as songs from 1000 years ago have their modern counterparts, the emotions depicted in the songs may need to be updated. When I thought about this, I felt the need for a new story for the next 10 years.
In keeping with the spirit of passing on to the next generation that was depicted in "Chihayafuru - Musubi-," I will be handing over the main role in the production of this drama to the next generation. However, rather than using such beautiful words as a cover to hand over everything, I will participate in the new role of "showrunner" who will oversee the scripts in a system called the "writers' room" where I will be co-writing with multiple scriptwriters.
As a creator, I can't help but feel grateful and respectful towards Mr. Suetsugu, who readily accepted the unprecedented challenge of turning a novel into a movie and then creating an original drama based on that movie. I will work closely with Mr. Suetsugu to carefully consider the matter and create a story that will become a treasured memory for everyone for the next 10 years, and hopefully 1000 years.
◇ Director Naoya Fujita
My name is Fujita Naoya, and I will be directing and producing "Chihayafuru -Meguri-".
When I first read Yuki Suetsugu's Chihayafuru, I remember feeling encouraged and lightened by the unique and charming characters who were wholeheartedly enjoying their youth. I thought to myself how beautiful and wonderful it is to work hard at something.
I was very surprised when I heard about the story being adapted into a drama.
With the movie "Chihayafuru," Director Koizumi, Producer Kitajima (Naoaki), and the professional staff produced a wonderful live-action movie, which set a milestone in youth movies and moved many people around me at the time. Of course, I was one of those people who was moved by it.
I never dreamed that I would be involved in bringing the future of that world line to life in a new form as an original story, so I'm very happy and excited.
On the other hand, I feel a sense of pressure to deliver a drama that will please all of the people who love and cherish "Chihayafuru," and I feel a sense of urgency. I will face the work with a strong sense of responsibility and resolve.
During the production process, I had many conversations with Mr. Suetsugu and we worked together to create the series. I am truly grateful to Mr. Suetsugu for trusting us and entrusting "Chihayafuru" to us.
The production staff that I will be working with this time are all talented and trustworthy members of the new generation. I believe that "Chihayafuru," created by this new generation, will be a revolution in teen dramas.
◇ Producer Mayuko Sakakibara
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Ms. Yuki Suetsugu for entrusting me with the important work "Chihayafuru" for the production of "Chihayafuru –Meguri-".
He has had many discussions with the director, scriptwriter, and producers, and has shared with us the thoughts he puts into the work, his love for the characters, and his feelings about the competitive karuta world and Hyakunin Isshu. This time, we are creating an original story, but its foundation is of course the manga "Chihayafuru" and every word of the sensei. Although the story itself is original, we believe that all the answers are in the original work, and so we return to the original work from time to time as we create the story.
I remember very fondly what Mr. Suetsugu said, "I want you to take responsibility for the lives of the new characters you are creating this time." Just as Mr. Suetsugu loved each and every character in "Chihayafuru" and gave meaning to their lives, I intend to carefully weave the lives of the characters in "Chihayafuru -Meguri-."
We have also spoken to many people involved in competitive karuta during the production process, and we are receiving a lot of cooperation from them in the filming that is about to begin. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their help.
We have gathered new cast members to help us weave "Chihayafuru -Meguri-". Everyone has been practicing karuta since last summer. Please pay attention to their performance as they take over from the many senior actors who appeared in the movie "Chihayafuru".
I myself have taken over as producer of the drama from Kitajima, the producer of the film "Chihayafuru." I am working on the production every day with a real sense of the weight of my responsibility, so that we can deliver the precious "Chihayafuru" to the viewers without ever losing the heat that resides in the work.
Everyone, please look forward to the broadcast starting in July.
◇ Naoaki Kitajima, planner and producer of the movie "Chihayafuru"
It was in 2014 that we started working towards a live-action film. I still remember the tension I felt that day when I first met Yuki Suetsugu, the original author of "Chihayafuru," and took charge of "Chihayafuru," which Suetsugu-sensei loves as if it were his own child. How should we turn the fascinating characters in the manga, who are dynamic, work hard, feel regret, cry, and rejoice, into live-action? How should we incorporate the moving story development that trembles people's hearts into the script? At the time, I spent days and weeks worrying with Director Norihiro Koizumi. I also remember the day the film was completed and Suetsugu-sensei watched it. To be honest, I was really scared. But when Suetsugu-sensei came out of the screening room, his smile made all the hardships I had been through disappear.
The reason I wanted to film "Chihayafuru," which is so dear to me, was when I saw the children whose youth had been taken away by the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that the mission of entertainment is to create hope for the future.
However, once we got going, we found ourselves faced with a mountain of problems... Suzu Hirose and the other cast members from back then have all grown up, and it would be difficult to follow the original story as it is... After much deliberation, we came up with "Chihayafuru -Meguri-". It is a completely original story that depicts the future of the world line of the movie. It is a story that could never have been created without Mr. Suetsugu. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to him.
As the subtitle "Meguri" suggests, the baton will be handed over not only to the story, but also to the staff and cast. The new "Chihayafuru" will be spun by up-and-coming director Naoya Fujita, screenwriters Shiho Kosaka, Daisuke Honda, Chiaki Matsumoto, and Suzuyuki Kaneko, and producers Mayuko Sakakibara and Kaoru Nakamura. All of them have had many meetings with Suetsugu-sensei. Please look forward to the new cast members who won a massive audition that had over 2,000 applicants! We have assembled the best members, and we are confident that this work will reach the pinnacle of youth drama.
Suetsugu-sensei, the staff, and all the cast members are working hard on the production, with the sole desire to bring enjoyment to viewers.
We will keep you updated on the progress of production through the official "Chihayafuru" drama website!
