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Ako Shimaki's Pin to Kona Shōjo Manga Gets Live-Action TV Series
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
Ako Shimaki's (Boku ni Natta Watashi) shōjo manga series Pin to Kona is getting a live-action television adaptation that will premiere in July. Kis-My-Ft2 idol group member Yūta Tamamori (Gokusen's Ryōta Takasugi, Nobunaga no Chef's Ken) will star in the series as Kyōnosuke Kawamura, the handsome son of a noble family. Idol group NYC member Yūma Nakayama (Piece - Kanojo no Kioku) will play Ichiya Sawayama, a talented kabuki novice from no notable family, and 9nine group member Umika Kawashima (Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge's Pyro) will play the kabuki-loving heroine Ayame Chiba. The romance manga follows both kabuki actors as they fall in love with the same girl.
Johnny's Jr. members Hokuto Matsumura and Jesse will co-star in the series as a fellow kabuki actor who is jealous of Ichiya and Kyōnosuke's friend, respectively. Kōji Yamamoto, Masahiro Takashima, Takaaki Enoki, and Kyōko Enami will also play kabuki actors and leaders, and Gorō Kishitani will play Kyōnosuke's father.
The manga won the GIrls' Category at the 57th Shogakukan Manga awards last year. The manga also placed 8th in the top 10 manga for female readers in the 2012 edition of the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook.
Shimaki launched the manga in Shogakukan's Cheese! magazine in 2009, and Shogakukan published the 9th compiled volume last month. The manga has more than 1 million copies in print.
The series will air on TBS on Thursday nights at 9:00 p.m.
Sources: Sankei Sports, Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web
