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Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san Manga Gets Live-Action Drama on Netflix
posted on by Alex Mateo
Aiko Koyama's Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san (Makanai in the Maiko Lodge) manga is inspiring a live-action drama, titled Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House in English, on Netflix. The series will have nine episodes, and it will premiere worldwide on the service this year.
The cast includes:
- Nana Mori as Kiyo
- Natsuki Deguchi as Sumire
- Aju Makita as Ryо̄ko
- Keiko Matsuzaka as Chiyo
- Ai Hashimoto as Momoko
- Mayu Matsuoka as Yoshino
- Takako Tokiwa as Asuka
Hirokazu Kore-eda (Air Doll live-action movie) is directing the series. Megumi Tsuno, Hiroshi Okuyama, and Takuma Sato are also directing. Genki Kawamura (Detroit Metal City live-action movie) is in charge of planning. Kore-eda, Tsuno, Okuyama, Sato, and Mami Sunada are writing the screen play. Yoshihiro Furusawa and Naomi Satō are executive producers. Kenji Yamada, Ai Kashima, and Eiji Kitahara are producing the series. Risa Kitabayashi is an associate producer.
The manga's story is set in Kyoto's "hanamachi" geisha quarter. Here, after geisha finish their work late at night, they spend the night resting at a lodge to prepare for the next day. The story centers on Kiyo, an Aomori native who works as a cook in a geisha lodge in Kyoto after finishing junior high school and leaving home. She also has a friend named Sumire who is a maiko, or apprentice geisha.
The manga inspired an anime adaptation titled Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House. The anime premiered on the NHK World channel with English subtitles in February 2021, and new episodes debut once a month. Crunchyroll is also streaming the anime.
Koyama launched the manga in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine in December 2016, and the series is ongoing. The manga won the Best Shōnen Manga award in the 65th Shogakukan Manga Awards in January 2020.
Sources: Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House live-action series' website, Comic Natalie
