It has been announced that the masterpiece manga "The Laughing Salesman" by the late Fujiko Fujio A will be adapted into a TV drama by TV Tokyo and will be exclusively distributed on the video distribution service "Prime Video" from July 18th. Even before the information was announced, the silhouette of the main character, Moguro Fukuzou, was posted on the official SNS of "Prime Video", attracting attention with comments such as "Is it a live-action version?" and "I'm looking forward to it, but it's surprisingly creepy."
"The Laughing Salesman" is an omnibus-style story about a mysterious salesman named Mokurou, who dresses entirely in a black suit, filling the "gaps in the hearts" of troubled modern people. It has gained popularity for its eerie character, Moguro Fukuzou, and its dark humor, in which those who do not listen to Mokurou's promises or advice bear the consequences, and has already been adapted into a TV drama, a TV anime, and a stage play.
The script was written by Kankuro Kudo, Maggy, Toru Hosokawa, and Udai Iwasaki of the comedy duo "Kamomentaru." The series will be distributed over three weeks from July 18th, with 12 episodes in total, including a story that updates the dark worldview to modern times and a completely original story.
Miyato commented, "It was fun from start to finish. The monthly planning meetings were always lively and fun, with Maggie as the eldest brother (even though I'm older) in a second-brother-like position, Hosokawa-kun as the mischievous third brother, and Udai-san as the rebellious fourth brother. The impressive cast was decided on one after another, so it was like a reward. We pushed the line between updating and not updating the original theme of 'the gaps in the heart', while pursuing the unchanging, timeless theme of the original. I hope you enjoy it."
A 15-second teaser video was also released, raising expectations for the high level of accuracy in recreating Moguro's distinctive laugh and walking style. The cast for the role of Moguro will be announced on June 25th.
