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. Additionally, it has been announced that Kento Nakajima will play Izo Okada, known as "Hitokiri Izo” (Izo the Manslayer) —Hijikata's sworn enemy and ally—and 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 the addition of two key cast members who are crucial to the portrayal of this series.

Cast as Makoto Ichikawa, a woman who relentlessly seeks the truth behind the Shinsengumi and Toshizo Hijikata, is Meru Nukumi. Known not only as a model but also for her remarkable rise as an actress in films and television dramas, she possesses a sharp sensibility and delicate expressive power hidden behind her bright, innocent smile.

Furthermore, appearing as Shinpachi Nagakura in the Meiji era—a man who survived the turbulent final days of the Bakumatsu period—is one of Japan’s most renowned actors, Akira Emoto. Beneath his seemingly carefree demeanor lies an unfathomable intensity, and with his overwhelming presence and acting skills, he brings an exceptional sense of realism to every role he portrays.

To uncover the truth of Shinsengumi and Toshizo Hijikata, Makoto Ichikawa visits an elderly man. This man is none other than Shinpachi Nagakura himself, who survived the Bakumatsu as a member of the Shinsengumi and lived into the Meiji era.

The truth Nagakura reveals is completely different from the commonly held image of the Shinsengumi as a “tragic group left behind by history.” Now, the true way the Shinsengumi lived and perished—their vivid and fleeting story that has never been told before—will be revealed.

How will the Shinsengumi be told across time? Viewers are invited to pay close attention to how Nukumi and Emoto portray these crucial narrators at the heart of the story. Character movies featuring these two roles are also available on the official social media accounts and on TBS’s official YouTube channel, “YouTuboo.”

A teaser video offering a glimpse into the passionate story woven by these two key characters has now been released. Led by Yuki Yamada as Toshizo Hijikata, alongside Kento Nakajima as Izo Okada and Go Ayano as Kamo Serizawa, this dynamic cast delivers powerful performances, inviting viewers to experience a stirring story that transcends time. Set in the tumultuous Bakumatsu period—an era as turbulent as the present day—the story follows young men who lived fiercely and met their end amid the chaos of history. Their lives are portrayed through themes of friendship, bonds, conviction, and betrayal. True to its title as a “Japanese sword-action entertainment,” the teaser showcases pulse-pounding sword fights, visuals on a grand scale, and an intense drama that ignites the viewer’s emotions, offering a thrilling glimpse of what is to come.

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 CX’s Absolute Zero: Special Investigation Unit 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!

In Chiruran, the characters portrayed by these two actors play an exceptionally important role in conveying both the way of life and the deaths of the Shinsengumi. Meru Nukumi’s honest, unadorned performance and her straightforward gaze perfectly embodied Makoto, a woman in relentless pursuit of the truth. In contrast, Akira Emoto conveyed—through his very presence—the solitude and quiet acceptance of one who survived.
The performances of Nukumi, fresh and vibrant, and the veteran Emoto, coming together across generations, have transformed the story of Hijikata and the Shinsengumi into a universal tale that can be passed down through time. We hope viewers will catch a glimpse of this in the teaser video released today.

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

Makoto Ichikawa - Meru Nukumi
Oume - Yuki Sakurai

Nishiki Niimi - Eita Okuno
Goro Hirayama - Mitsuomi Takahashi

Tadasaburo Sasaki - Nobuaki Kaneko

Izo Okada - Kento Nakajima

Shinpachi Nagakura (Meiji Era) - Akira Emoto

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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