It was revealed on July 17th that "Manga Boke Biyori" (Kanki Publishing), a manga drawn by comedian Taro Yabe, will be made into a live-action film distributed by Toei. An original illustration drawn by Yabe, based on the real-life couple who inspired the manga, was also released.
The original manga "Manga Boke Biyori," published in 2023 and with over 155,000 copies sold, is an essay manga by Yabe that depicts the daily lives of dementia patients and their families with Yabe's unique gentle touch. It portrays the often serious theme of dementia with a warm gaze and humor, and has received empathetic responses from readers such as "It lightened my heart," "It made me feel warm and fuzzy inside," and "If I had known about it sooner, I might have been able to prepare myself."
The original story is based on the bestselling essay "Boke Biyori: Dementia Has Arrived in Our Home! What Should We Do? What Will Happen?" (Kanki Publishing) by Yoshikazu Hasegawa, a dementia specialist who has worked with patients and their families for over 25 years. Yabe also illustrated the book. Both the original work and the concept story recount various worries faced by families, as well as episodes that will make you chuckle.
Further details about the film adaptation will be announced at a later date.
Yabe was born on June 30, 1977, in Tokyo. In 1997, he formed the comedy duo "Karateka" and has been active not only as a comedian but also as an actor in stage plays, dramas, and films. His first manga, "Ooyasan to Boku" (My Landlord and Me), won the 22nd Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize Short Story Award. The series became a hit, selling over 1.2 million copies. Other works include "Boku no Otousan" (My Father) and "Gakuya no Tonakun" (Tona-kun in the Dressing Room).
