Additional cast members for the TV anime "Ikoku Nikki," based on the popular manga by Yamashita Tomoko, have been announced, including Junichi Suwabe as Kasamachi Shingo, Sumire Morohoshi as Nara Emiri, Eriko Matsui as Daigo Nana, and Takashi Kondo as Tono Kazunari. The theme song artists have also been announced, with singer-songwriter TOMOO performing the opening theme "Sonare" and the band Bialystocks performing the ending theme "Kotoden."
Suwabe commented, "Yamashita Tomoko's works delicately depict the nuances of the characters' emotions, and there are many lines that will make you stop and think. They are the feelings of people living their everyday lives, not stylized and deformed. To be honest, there aren't many opportunities to play such characters, so I find it very rewarding. It's a high-quality drama. I hope you will watch it. Thank you."
Morohoshi said, "I really love the calm atmosphere and pleasant sharpness of the work. Every word that is spoken is vivid and beautiful, and it slowly seeps into your heart. The acting of the cast is also wonderful, and I am constantly moved. After recording, I always feel incredibly fulfilled, as if I have seen a soothing landscape or tasted and eaten delicious food. I put my heart and soul into the role of Emiri, so that I could exist and live in this world. I hope everyone enjoys it. Thank you very much."
Matsui said, "When I played the role of Daigo Nana, I felt particularly comfortable talking with Makio. It was very natural, and I thought the emotional distance between the two of them was wonderful. I think this is a story in which the words of various characters leave an impression. Whose words will you sympathize with, and what will you think? I would be happy if Nana's words also left an impression on you... Please be sure to watch the anime 'Ikoku Nikki'!"
Kondo commented, "I realized how difficult it is to portray an overly serious man, or rather, a man who is too serious, and I searched for answers while reflecting on my own usual irresponsible self as I went about the recordings. I hope you will enjoy the image of Tono that I have created through trial and error. My co-stars seemed to enjoy it to a certain extent, so although I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a firm favourite, I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of. There's no need for me to recommend it; 'Ikoku Nikki' is a very good, memorable work. The original, the film version and the anime version all have their own merits, but I hope you will look forward to the anime version this winter."
TOMOO said, "From the time I first encountered 'Ikoku Nikki' until today, I feel as though I have already been interacting with the world through the words and gazes of the people in 'Ikoku Nikki'. It's as if the influence of someone close to me, like family or friends, has unconsciously seeped into the words I speak and the way I see things. It is a work that has had such a quietly deep impact on me, and it is important to me. I wrote the song 'Sonare' when I heard a melody that sounded like the pages of a notebook being turned in the wind, opening up to the past and the future. I hope that it can resonate with people along with this story."
Bialystocks commented, "Every single person is a resident of a different country, and lives within a psychological divide. Using words, a tool that can connect people, or sometimes push them away, we find our own way in life, however clumsy, through our interactions with others. I would be happy if this song could sound like one of the characters, neither denying nor affirming anyone, at the "crossroads" where people meet, without interfering with this story."
It was also announced that an advance screening of the first and second episodes of the series will be held at Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro (Toshima Ward, Tokyo) on December 2nd. After the screening, a talk show will be held with Miyuki Sawashiro, who plays Takashiro Makio, Mori Fuko, who plays Tagumi Asa, and Suwabe.
"Ikoku Nikki" is a manga serialized in "FEEL YOUNG" (Shodensha) from 2017 to 2023. It depicts the life of a shy novelist, Takashiro Makio, and his niece, Tagumi Asa, a girl who lost both her parents in an accident. It was ranked 4th in the "Manga Taisho 2019" awards, 5th in the women's edition of "This Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2024," and 1st in the comic rankings of "Da Vinci BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023." It was also made into a live-action movie starring actors Yui Aragaki Yui and Hayase Iku, which became a hot topic.
The anime will be directed by Miyuki Oshiro, with music by Kensuke Ushio. It will be produced by Shuka. It will be broadcast on ABC TV, TOKYO MX, and BS Asahi from January 2026.
