NEWS

THE SEVEN, INC. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Katsuaki Setoguchi; hereafter “THE SEVEN"), TBS Television, Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Masamine Ryuho; hereafter “TBS"), and U-NEXT Co., Ltd. (Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Tenshin Tsutsumi; hereafter “U-NEXT") have announced a large-scale project: the “TBS × U-NEXT × THE SEVEN Global Project."

This project will be the first live-action adaptation based on the popular manga, “Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem" which features powerful artwork and overwhelming drawing skill by Eiji Hashimoto, and is based on a story by Shinya Umemura (also known for “Record of Ragnarok"). Set in Kyoto at the end of the Edo period (Bakumatsu), the story depicts the intense and passionate lives of the Shinsengumi, the strongest samurai group, through spectacular action and a bold interpretation based on historical facts. The special drama will be broadcast on TBS and the drama series will be exclusively streamed on U-NEXT in the spring of 2026.

Yuki Yamada will play the protagonist, Toshizo Hijikata, and the other members of the Shieikan will be played by a group of talented young actors, each combining strong individuality and skill: Nobuyuki Suzuki, Aoi Nakamura, Kanata Hosoda, Shuhei Uesugi, Kisetsu Fujiwara, Yosuke Sugino, Shuntaro Yanagi, Shuto Miyazaki, and Hihio Iwanaga. It has also been announced that Go Ayano will play Kamo Serizawa, the “strongest and most ruthless nemesis” who stands in the way of the protagonists. In addition, a diverse cast of actors has also been announced, including Eita Okuno, Mitsuomi Takahashi, Nobuaki Kaneko, Masanobu Ando, and Yuki Sakurai.

This "Japanese sword-action entertainment" will portray how Toshizo Hijikata, upon encountering the greatness of Isami Kondo, went on to build the legendary Shinsengumi together with comrades of powerful individuality such as Soji Okita and Hajime Saito. The story depicts not only how they lived, but also how their life came to an end—where friendships, betrayals, and convictions intertwine— as these men questioned the meaning of their own existence during a period of historical change, living briefly but brilliantly, driven by fierce determination so intense they were willing to stake their very lives, will be depicted with modern, alluring, and attractive character designs, also featuring high-speed sword fighting (“tate”) that has been praised as the fastest in history.

Today, we are announcing an additional cast member who will bring new passion and color to this production.

Izo Okada, a samurai from Tosa, became feared throughout the late Edo period under the infamous title “Hitokiri Izo" (Izo the Manslayer), threatening the capital of Kyoto and eventually clashing with the Shinsengumi, who were tasked with protecting the city.

The "Hitokiri Izo" depicted in this series is a captivating character, richly endowed with the bold and unique interpretations found in the original story. He serves as a rare existence—a sworn enemy, yet also an ally to the protagonist, Hijikata, played by Yuki Yamada and is a tragic figure who lives a life both vivid and fleeting before falling in the Bakumatsu era.

Taking on the role of Izo Okada—extremely popular both historically and in the original story—is Kento Nakajima, an actor who, despite his overwhelming charm and star quality, brings a gritty authenticity born from his disciplined approach to acting.

Nakajima himself admitted to being surprised upon receiving the offer, reportedly asking, "Are you sure I'm the right casting choice?" Driven by ambition, he tackles a role that contrasts sharply with his usual public image, pouring himself into full-scale sword action—a surprising first time for him—resulting in an unprecedented, uniquely "lovable Izo Okada," rich with charm and sorrow.

A character movie featuring Nakajima as Izo has been released on the official social media accounts and the TBS official YouTube channel, "YouTuboo." We invite you to get an exclusive, early glimpse at this “Izo Okada" that is unique to both this work and Kento Nakajima.

At the helm of the production is Akira Morii of THE SEVEN as Chief Producer — whose credits include globally successful projects such as Netflix’s Alice in Borderland and the worldwide hit adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho. Producers Mamoru Inoue and Kazuya Shimomura (THE SEVEN) also join the producing team.

Directing is Kazutaka Watanabe, known for his work on NHK’s taiga drama Onna Jōshu Naotora, the morning drama series Mare, and the Kishibe Rohan Does Not Move series; Watanabe is widely respected for his meticulous pursuit of realism and tension and enjoys great trust from performers. The writing team includes top industry talent such as Masaaki Sakai, whose credits include WOWOW’s Cold Case seasons 2 & 3 and the feature film Small, Slow but Steady. Together, these leading members of Japan’s film and television industry form a creative team of the highest caliber.

This unprecedentedly large-scale “Japanese sword-action entertainment" will continue to feature even more lead-class actors, with young actors and renowned character actors also to be announced. Try to guess which character will be played by whom—and stay tuned for further updates!

When I first received the offer, I actually asked the producer, "Are you sure I'm the right casting choice?"…But taking on the role of Izo Okada allowed me to spend time in a way that was incredibly intense, yet also somehow fleeting and ephemeral. Now, I truly feel grateful that, as Kento Nakajima, I had the chance to encounter and portray the role of Izo Okada.
In particular, I had excellent chemistry with Yamada-kun, who plays Toshizo. Perhaps because our 'wavelengths' aligned when we crossed swords, I felt like I could see Toshizo even when he wasn't there, allowing me to deliver a performance that was absolutely true to my heart.
I believe I was able to portray the most lovable Izo in a way that only I could.
If you don't watch "Chiruran", I won't forgive you, ze yo!

Izo Okada is not simply a manslayer; he is an incredibly delicate character—so pure that he is easily influenced, corrupted and, ultimately, fragile. When considering who could take on such a challenging role, I was certain that only Kento Nakajima, with his overwhelming charisma, his inner intensity born of strict discipline, and a certain underlying vulnerability, could bring him to life. Although he was surprised at first, the moment he held his sword, the beautiful, tragic "Hitokiri Izo" we had been looking for stood before us. The scene where he faces Toshizo Hijikata, played by Yuki Yamada, features the two actors delivering a performance that feels like their very souls are being honed and clashed—it is truly one of the highlights of this work. He lives desperately, in a raw, gritty way, and ultimately meets his end. I am thrilled to share the incredible intensity and unique allure of Kento Nakajima—a side of the actor no one has ever witnessed—with audiences across the globe.

Broadcast / Streaming  TBS Television / U-NEXT — Spring 2026
Produce   THE SEVEN

< Key Staff >
Producers
Akira Morii (THE SEVEN) / Netflix series Alice in Borderland, Yu Yu Hakusho
Mamoru Inoue  / TBS×WOWOW series Double Face, MOZU
Kazuya Shimomura (THE SEVEN) / Netflix series Yu Yu Hakusho, film The Fable: The Killer Who Doesn't Kill

Director Kazutaka Watanabe / NHK taiga drama Naotora: The Lady Warlord, morning drama Mare, Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan series

Screenwriter Masaaki Sakai / WOWOW series Cold Case 2 & 3, film Small, Slow but Steady

Action Director Kensuke Sonomura / film Baby Assassins, Onmyoji 0

VFX Producer Tomofumi Akahane (THE SEVEN) / Netflix series Alice in Borderland Season 3, Yu Yu Hakusho

Character Designer Yuya Maeda / film THE LEGEND & BUTTERFLY

Music Yoshiaki Dewa / Netflix series Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, animation Hell's Paradise

Post-Production Supervisor Norimasa Ishida (THE SEVEN) / Netflix series Alice in Borderland, Yu Yu Hakusho

Toshizo Hijikata - Yuki Yamada

Isami Kondo - Nobuyuki Suzuki
Keisuke Yamanami - Aoi Nakamura
Soji Okita - Kanata Hosoda
Shinpachi Nagakura - Shuhei Uesugi
Hajime Saito - Kisetsu Fujiwara
Eisaburo Abiru - Yosuke Sugino
Sanosuke Harada - Yanagi Shuntaro
Heisuke Todo - Shuto Miyazaki
Genzaburo Inoue - Hihio Iwanaga

Oume - Yuki Sakurai
Nishiki Niimi - Eita Okuno
Goro Hirayama - Mitsuomi Takahashi

Tadasaburo Sasaki - Nobuaki Kaneko

Izo Okada - Kento Nakajima

Shinbei Tanaka - Masanobu Ando

Kamo Serizawa - Go Ayano

Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem
Authors Manga by Eiji Hashimoto / Original Story by Shinya Umemura
Publisher Coamix — Mangano (Zenon Comics), Volumes 1~36 available now.
Copyright ©橋本エイジ・梅村真也／コアミックス
Read the first chapter (Japanese)

< Official Website>
https://chiruran-the7.jp/

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