On Thursday, the official website for the live-action film adaptation of Masakazu Ishiguro’s Nemurubaka manga revealed a new trailer and a poster visual for the film.
The trailer introduces and previews the film’s theme song, “Nemurubaka,” performed by Yūna Taira as her character Ruka Kujirai.
It also announced the film’s release date set for March 20. Ishiguro co-wrote the lyrics for the theme song with Asahi, the guitarist of the Necry Talkie band, who also composed the song. The lyrics are based on those from the original manga.
Yūgo Sakamoto (known for Baby Assassins) is directing the film.
The cast includes:
- Shiori Kubo, a member of Nogizaka46, stars as Yumi Irusu (seen on the left in the image above).
- Yūna Taira, known for her roles in the live-action ReLIFE and Honey (seen on the right), plays Ruka Kujirai.
Kōhei Higuchi (from Avataro Sentai Donbrothers) and Keito Tsuna (from Kishiryū Sentai Ryusoulger) portray Itō and Taguchi, respectively.
Taguchi, a college student like Yumi, harbors a crush on the older Ruka Kujirai. Itō is Taguchi’s friend.
Live-Action Adaptation of Nemurubaka Manga
Other notable cast members include:
- Usagi, a member of the comedy duo Long Coat Daddy, who plays Nakasaki, a senior at the second-hand bookstore where Yumi works part-time.
- Yōhei Gima, guitarist of the dadadadys rock band, who plays Jaguar Mori, a member of Ruka’s band Peat Moss.
- Dai Hasegawa as Iwatetsu, another member of Ruka’s band.
- Takao Yuki as Dan, also a member of Ruka’s band.
The Nemurubaka manga centers on the daily lives of college dorm roommates Yumi Irusu and Ruka Kujirai. Despite being active in a band, Ruka is constantly broke, while Yumi works part-time at a second-hand bookstore.
Ishiguro first launched the manga in Tokuma Shoten’s Monthly Comic Ryū magazine in September 2006, and it concluded in January 2008. Tokuma Shoten published the manga’s single compiled volume.
Ishiguro’s other works, such as And Yet the Town Moves and Heavenly Delusion, have been adapted into anime. The former’s anime aired in 2010, while the latter premiered in April 2023.
And Yet the Town Moves was initially available on JManga, before Crunchyroll began offering it digitally in English, though it was later removed. The series was added to Manga Planet in 2020. Denpa publishes Heavenly Delusion in English.
Additionally, Ishiguro’s works Present for Me and Skygrazer have also been released in English.
