Mackenyu to appear in the drama "Chihayafuru" as "Arata Wataya"

It has been announced that actor Mackenyu will be appearing in the drama series "Chihayafuru -Meguri-" (NTV, Wednesdays at 10pm), starring Ami Touma. This was revealed in a preview video that aired after the sixth episode on August 13th. In the "Chihayafuru" film series, Arata played Ayase Chihaya's (Suzu Hirose) childhood friend, Wataya Arata, but in this drama he will appear as a "master."

At the climax of the film series, Arata competed in a heated battle against Chihaya and the other members of Mizusawa High School in the national tournament finals. In the drama, which depicts a world 10 years after the events of the film trilogy, Arata has risen to become a household name in the karuta world. In the seventh episode, which aired on the 20th, Arata will appear at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Karuta Club's qualifying tournament.

Nitta commented, "When I heard about the offer, I couldn't believe it and was genuinely delighted. Chihayafuru is a work that is hard to put into words for me, and it was a big part of what inspired me to pursue a career in acting. I am very happy to be back after 10 years."

He continued, "Ten years have passed, but on set I felt just as fresh as the new cast members. As a fan of 'Chihayafuru,' I look forward to watching with everyone the passionate portrayal of these high school students devoting their youth to the fullest."

"Chihayafuru" is a manga by Yuki Suetsugu that was serialized in "BE・LOVE" (Kodansha) from 2007 to 2022. The story follows Ayase Chihaya, who awakens to the charms of competitive karuta through her encounter with transfer student Wataya Arata, and becomes passionate about the game alongside her childhood friend Mashima Taichi and the other unique members of the karuta club. The drama is an original story set 10 years after the trilogy of films "Kami no Ku" and "Shimo no Ku" in 2016 and "Musubi" in 2018.