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Live-Action Wakako-zake Series Gets 1st Special on December 29, 30
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
BS-TV Tokyo announced on Thursday that the live-action series based on Chie Shinkyū's Wakako-zake manga is getting its first special, which will air on December 29 and 30 at 11:00 p.m. each night. The special is titled "Wakako-zake Special: Hida Sakagura Meguri" (Wakako-zake Special: Hida Sake Brewery Pilgrimage). In the special Wakako will travel to the Hida area of Gifu Prefecture, known for its many sake breweries. The special will feature a returning cast.
The original Wakako-zake cuisine manga follows 26-year old Wakako, who drinks different kinds of alcoholic beverages at bars and restaurants alone every night, searching for her place to belong.
Shinkyū started the manga in North Stars Pictures and Tokuma Shoten's Monthly Comic Zenon magazine in 2011. Media Do released the first volume of the manga digitally in English on several platforms in October 2018. Nenzu Nyanbara launched a spinoff manga titled Taishū Sakaba Wakao - Wakako-zake Betten (Public Bar Wakao - Wakako-zake Different Shop) on Tokuma Shoten's Web Comic Zenyon website in January 2019.
The first 12-episode live-action television season aired in January-March 2015, and the second and third 12-episode seasons premiered in January 2016 and April 2017, respectively. The fourth season premiered in January 2019, and the fifth and most recent season premiered in April and aired for 12 episodes.
Crunchyroll streamed the second season as it aired, and added the first season in April 2016.
The manga also inspired a 12-episode series of three-minute anime shorts, starring Miyuki Sawashiro, that premiered in July 2015. Crunchyroll also streamed the anime series as it aired.
Sources: BS-TV Tokyo, Cinema Today (梅山富美子)
