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") present their Fjoint “TBS × U-NEXT × THE SEVEN Global Project": Song of the Samurai (formerly titled “Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem”). Following the two-night terrestrial broadcast of the special drama “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” on TBS on Thursday, March 26, and Friday, March 27, each episode is available on U-NEXT immediately after airing. Furthermore, the subsequent drama series “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto” has launched as a U-NEXT exclusive, with new episodes scheduled for release every Friday.

This project is 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) —both Hijikata's sworn enemy and ally; Jun Matsumoto will portray Katamori Matsudaira, the legendary Lord of the Aizu Clan and the founding father of the Shinsengumi; and Go Ayano will play Kamo Serizawa, the “strongest and most ruthless nemesis” who stands in the way of the protagonists.

While the excitement from the two-night special drama “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” aired March 26th and 27th is still sweeping the nation, a major announcement has generated massive buzz: Takumi Kitamura is set to join the upcoming drama series “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto” as Shinsaku Takasugi. The surprise casting was unveiled in a teaser trailer immediately following the broadcast of the second night of the “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo.”

Last year, Takumi Kitamura captivated audiences in the leading role of the film “Baka’s Identity”, portraying a modern youth struggling to escape the underworld—a performance that earned him the Best Actor award at the 30th Busan International Film Festival. From his acclaimed role of the character modeled after Takashi Yanase in the NHK Morning Drama “Anpan” to his diverse range of characters, Kitamura continues to dominate the forefront of the Japanese entertainment industry with his undeniable expressive power.

Now, Kitamura is set to play Shinsaku Takasugi—a figure who remained unseen during the Special Drama “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo”. Known as the legendary revolutionary of the Bakumatsu era who paved the way for a new age, Takasugi has remained shrouded in mystery. Fans can look forward to seeing how this enigmatic figure will be portrayed and what side of Takasugi will be brought to life in this production.

Having walked the same path through numerous hits—most notably the blockbuster “Tokyo Revengers” series—Yuki Yamada and Takumi Kitamura have built a deep bond of trust both on and off-screen. They are truly the "soul brothers" of the modern entertainment world.

While their previous collaborations embodied a bond where they "had each other's backs," this production sees them facing off in the turbulent Bakumatsu era. Yamada portrays Toshizo Hijikata, the Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi, while Kitamura takes on the role of Shinsaku Takasugi, the Choshu revolutionary.

It is a clash between the "Demon" protecting the old order and the "Revolutionary" forging a new era. All eyes are on how their relationship will shift the tides of history and the fate of the Shinsengumi itself.

The drama series “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto,” which depicts the aftermath of today’s “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” over six episodes, is now available for exclusive streaming on U-NEXT. New episodes will be released every Friday at 7:00 PM (JST).
The story—filled with friendship, betrayal, and clashing convictions—accelerates from here. Witness the vivid yet brief lives of those who questioned their existence in a changing era, living and dying with a burning resolve that staked everything. Experience the full scale of this "Japanese sword-action entertainment" on U-NEXT - a fusion of modern character depth and high-speed swordplay hailed as the fastest in history.

It all started with my desire to respond to Yuki Yamada-kun’s passion, but once I arrived on set, I realized how deeply connected I am to this entire team through my journey as an actor. Seeing Yuki-kun standing at the center as Toshizo Hijikata—with such a commanding presence—I felt a simple, clear impulse: that as an elusive 'outsider' standing before Hijikata and his unwavering path, I should just 'tear it all down.' I am truly grateful to be facing this challenge at this point in my life. Shinsaku Takasugi is a 'monster' of a man who moves the world not with brute force, but with the power of his words and his intellect. I hope to convey his mysterious, almost predatory charm—the kind that feels like it could swallow people's hearts.
I am certain that with this team, we can achieve something truly extraordinary. I look forward to the day I can meet you all again as Takasugi.

After losing his formidable rival, Kamo Serizawa, what reignites the fire in Hijikata’s heart is an overwhelming 'outsider'—one that turns the entire era upside down. That is Shinsaku Takasugi, the god of the unconventional.
I couldn't imagine entrusting this role to anyone other than Takumi Kitamura, a man who has fought alongside us through so many projects. When Kitamura stepped onto the set, he was Shinsaku Takasugi—a solitary genius who seems to enjoy the sound of an era crumbling, living to tear down the walls of boredom. His confrontation with Yuki Yamada, who portrays Toshizo Hijikata, was absolutely breathtaking.
In fact, the moment Takumi spoke his first lines during rehearsal, Yuki couldn't help but smirk, whispering to himself, 'He’s just so good!' It’s a resonance that goes beyond words, something only possible between these two 'soul brothers' who have sharpened their craft together over the years. They have breathed new life into the era the Shinsengumi is about to face. Please witness for yourself the moment these two 'monsters,' Hijikata and Takasugi, cross paths.

Title
Song of the Samurai
(formerly announced as Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem)

-Domestic(Japan) Streaming exclusively on U-NEXT
Special Drama “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” (2 episodes)
Drama Series “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto” (6 episodes) - New episodes every Friday

-Global Streaming HBO Max
Starting Saturday, May 9 (8 episodes)
Available in over 100 countries and regions worldwide, including North America, Latin America, Europe, and parts of Asia.


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)


Shinsaku Takasugi - Takumi Kitamura

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/

［X］https://x.com/chiruran_the7
［Instagram］https://www.instagram.com/chiruran_the7
［TikTok］https://www.tiktok.com/@chiruran_the7