I’ve made no secret here on the J-List Blog about how much I’m enjoying the works that studio P.A. Works have released over the last couple of years. One series of theirs in particular that I absolutely fell in love with in 2022 was Ya Boy Kongming, which streamed on HIDIVE in the West during last year’s spring season. While I would love to tell you I’m here today to share news of a second season, I’m not, but I do have the next best thing: a live-action adaptation that will air in fall 2023! The new adaptation will air on Fuji TV in Japan during the 10 pm JST Shinsui 10 Drama timeslot, though an exact premiere date has not been disclosed yet.
Adapting the manga (Japanese title: Paripi Kōmei which literally translates into Kongming of the Party People) written by Yuto Yotsuba and illustrated by Ryo Ogawa, the new adaptation will star Osamu Mukai in the title role of Shokatsu Kōmei (aka Zhuge Kongming, aka Zhuge Liang) who, after dying in his own time, finds himself reincarnated to the distant time of modern-day Shibuya in Tokyo. Lucky him, he gets to keep his original body and his memories. Upon waking in the strange new environment, he meets a young girl named Eiko Tsukimi who is an aspiring singer. He vows to use his military strategies to turn her into a superstar so that everyone can hear her beautiful voice.
In a statement included with the announcement, actor Mukai said that he was amused to be almost seven feet tall (6’ 11” or 210 cm) with the inclusion of his costume’s hat.
First serialized on Kodansha’s Comic Days website from December 2019 to November 2021 before being transferred to Weekly Young Magazine, the comedy manga is now up to thirteen volumes in Japan as of April 2023. Kodansha USA is releasing the series in English with volume eleven hitting store shelves in May 2023.
I’m still in the midst of my newfound enjoyment of live-action adaptations of Japanese media (which has included wonderful titles like Samurai Gourmet, Sweet Toothed Salaryman Kantaro, and others). So this announcement hits me right in the sweet spot. While I’m hoping that we get further cast announcements soon, I’m really excited to hear what music the staff includes in this adaptation. I know that in my own case (and I’m sure the case of many others), it would be heartbreaking if the director replaced that endlessly catchy opening theme song used in the anime.
Stay tuned to the J-List blog for more information regarding this project as further developments hit the internet in the coming weeks and months.
Sources: Anime News Network, Crunchyroll News
While you wait for more Ya Boy Kongming, why not grab a few visual novels from our store? Probably the most groundbreaking of them all is Steins;Gate, which is well worth playing if you’ve ever been on the fence about the whole visual novel thing.
