It has been announced that Asaki Yukikawa, Tarusuke Aragaki, and Kenichirou Matsuda will be joining the cast of the TV anime "Left-Handed Ellen," which is based on the manga by Kappy, which has also been adapted into a drama. Yukikawa will play Akane Yuko, a sales representative at Meguro Advertising Agency and a colleague of the protagonist, Koichi Asakura; Aragaki will play Ryukawa Shun, a sales representative at Meguro Advertising Agency; and Matsuda will play Sakuma Ifu, a rough-and-tumble photographer who is active both domestically and internationally.
Yuko Yukikawa, who plays the role of Akane Yuko, commented, "The appeal of this work is that you can learn about the different perspectives of each party involved in creating an advertisement, such as designers and salespeople, bosses and subordinates, and agencies and clients. I was reminded once again of the difficulty of people creating things together. Yuko is a colleague of the protagonist Koichi at the advertising agency. As a colleague and friend, she quietly watches over Koichi's efforts. While doing the voice recording, I also feel the passion of Koichi and the others hitting me all over, and I am very excited to be able to deliver this powerful impact to everyone!"
Yui Aragaki, who plays the role of Shun Ryukawa, said, "Through him, I was able to see the harshness and allure of the advertising industry from a realistic perspective, and I couldn't take my eyes off what would happen next. In the process, I acted with the hope that each of his expressions, words, and experiences would evoke memories in viewers and bring them to empathy with the work as a whole. I feel that 'Left-Handed Ellen' is a work that makes you feel like you've had your troubles listened to, or like you've been able to pour out your heart and feel relieved. I hope it reaches many people living in the present."
Matsuda, who plays the role of Sakuma Takefu, sent a message saying, "I had been reading the original manga for a long time, and I never imagined that I would be playing Sakuma Takefu. It was a great honor, but to be honest, I was also scared to play the role. I desperately clung on to the role so as not to be thrown off by Sakuma. Longing, setbacks, regrets, impatience, conflict, and hope. I think this work depicts 'that time' that everyone has surely experienced. I hope that the anime 'Left-Handed Ellen' will be a work that can light a ray of light in everyone's hearts."
It was also announced that a special 58-page comic book, "Left-Handed Ellen - Volume 1," will be distributed as a bonus to attendees of the advance theatrical screenings of episodes 1-3, which will be held from March 27th. The comic book contains a prequel to "Left-Handed Ellen" drawn by the original author, Kappy, and is said to be an emotional story that can only be read here, focusing on Koichi and Ellen during their high school days.
A collaboration with the professional basketball team "Yokohama B-Corsairs" has also been announced. Shoya Chiba, who plays the role of Koichi, will make a guest appearance at the collaboration game to be held on April 15th. Collaboration merchandise will also be sold.
"Left-Handed Ellen" is a popular webcomic that has garnered approximately 250 million page views and has sold over 3.9 million copies of its comic books. Set in the world of creators, the story follows Koichi, an ordinary man who dreams of becoming something despite struggling with the limits of his own talent, and Ellen, a solitary genius tormented by her overwhelming talent, as they struggle, falter, and continue to challenge themselves. Koichi, who chooses the path of a designer, encounters seasoned creators in the advertising industry, while Ellen, who has plunged into the global art scene, encounters monstrous artists.
The anime will be directed by Toshimasa Suzuki, known for works such as "Fafner in the Azure: Heaven and Earth," and produced by Signal.MD and Production I.G. It will air on TV Tokyo and its affiliates starting at midnight on April 7th.
