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." The special two-night drama ”Chapter: Youthful Days

in Edo” will air on TBS terrestrial television on Thursday, March 26, and Friday, March 27, with streaming available on U-NEXT immediately following each broadcast. Furthermore, the subsequent drama series “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto” will stream exclusively on U-NEXT, with new episodes released every Friday.

In the final cast announcement before the premiere, it has been revealed that Jun Matsumoto will join the cast.

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.

Yuki Yamada will play the protagonist, Toshizo Hijikata, and the other members of the Shinsengumi 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.

Just one month before the broadcast, one of the project’s biggest surprises has finally been unveiled. Jun Matsumoto, a leading icon of the Japanese entertainment industry, joins the cast as the legendary Aizu Lord, Katamori Matsudaira, the founding father of the Shinsengumi— the figure to whom they pledged their ultimate loyalty until the very end.

In this series, Matsumoto portrays Katamori Matsudaira, a visionary leader depicted as the “Final Shield” of the 200-year-old Shogunate. Though he sensed the inevitable collapse of the Edo era, he bravely accepted the role of Kyoto Shugoshoku (Military Governor of Kyoto), choosing to follow his own convictions rather than be swept away by the changing times.

As the man who officially took in Isami Kondo, Toshizo Hijikata, and their band of mere ronin—entrusting them with the security of Kyoto—Katamori is both an absolute sovereign and a spiritual pillar to the soldiers. From the moment they meet Katamori, Hijikata and the men of the Shieikan are captivated by his unshakable resolve and immense magnanimity, evolving and altering their destinies through his influence. Even Kamo Serizawa, Hijikata’s greatest rival, holds him in high regard. In turn, Katamori acknowledges Serizawa’s worth, demonstrating the true essence of the "Charisma of the Bakumatsu"—a leader with the depth of character to embrace both the pure and the corrupt.

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. As he encounters allies, rivals, and sovereigns—figures like Izo Okada, Shinbei Tanaka, Kamo Serizawa, and Katamori Matsudaira—the gears of history begin to turn at an overwhelming pace.

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.

The character movie for Katamori Matsudaira portrayed by Matsumoto has been revealed. Combining the dignity of a feudal lord with flashes of piercing fighting spirit, Matsumoto masterfully embodies the "Charisma of the Bakumatsu"—a leader whose overwhelming aura makes even the roughest warriors, like Hijikata, feel they are no match for him. We invite you to experience this dramatic transformation by Matsumoto, a "Charisma of Modern Entertainment," ahead of the main series.

One of the highlights is the intense, poignant “resonance of souls” between Yuki Yamada and Jun Matsumoto. Having previously portrayed the sovereign Ieyasu Tokugawa and his strongest, lifelong loyal vassal Tadakatsu Honda in the NHK Taiga drama “What Will You Do, Ieyasu?”, this powerhouse duo—who survived the Sengoku era together—now reunite at a pivotal turning point in history: the Bakumatsu.

Reflecting on their reunion, Matsumoto shared:
“I was truly looking forward to acting with him again. His acting is incredibly immersive and inspiring, which makes working together so enjoyable. Honestly, I’m just happy to be part of such a passionate project with him as the lead. I’ve received so much support from my seniors throughout my career, so I thought deeply about what I could offer this time. I hope I can be of even the slightest help to him.”

We invite you to witness the timeless bond of lord and vassal as Yuki Yamada and Jun Matsumoto reunite across eras.

With less than two months until the premiere, the full scale of Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem is finally unfolding. As anticipation continues to build among fans, we have a series of upcoming projects planned to let you dive even deeper into the world of the show before it airs. Stay tuned for more exciting updates and announcements.

There have been many works centered on the Shinsengumi in the past, and I’m sure there will be many more in the future. However, I am personally very excited to see what kind of unique entertainment Chiruran will become.
A word that frequently appears in the script is "tagiru"—that raw, seething energy—best describes how these people lived through the Bakumatsu era, burning through their lives with such fiery intensity, and I believe it will truly resonate with the audience. I look forward to delivering a powerful performance alongside Yamada-kun and the rest of the Shinsengumi cast.

The Shinsengumi were a group of fierce individuals, each a force of nature. Why did they remain loyal until the very end? We needed a cast member who could answer that question simply through their presence, spirit, and way of life—someone who could embody Katamori Matsudaira without compromise.
The moment Jun Matsumoto stepped onto the set, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
There, without a doubt, stood the "Lord of Aizu."
The overwhelming presence he projects, and the fighting spirit beneath it, became the backbone of this story.
When Yuki Yamada’s Toshizo Hijikata confronted Matsumoto’s Lord Katamori, the heartfelt respect and trembling resonance between them was profound. It left a deep mark not only on the two of them, but on the souls of the entire cast and crew, serving as a guiding light for the creation of Chiruran.

Title Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem

Broadcast TBS Television
Special Drama “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo”
March 26 (Thu) & 27 (Fri), 2026 / Two consecutive nights, 9:00 PM

Streaming U-NEXT
Special Drama “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” - Streaming after each broadcast on March 26 & 27, 2026
Drama Series “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto” - Exclusive on U-NEXT from March 27, 2026 / New episodes every Friday

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

Shinbei Tanaka - Masanobu Ando

Katamori Matsudaira - Jun Matsumoto (Cameo)

Shinpachi Nagakura (Meiji Era) - Akira Emoto

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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