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Ikoku Nikki Anime Unveils 4 More Cast Members, Theme Song Artists
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
The staff for the television anime of Tomoko Yamashita's Ikoku Nikki (Diary of a Strange Land) manga revealed four new cast members and theme song artists on Wednesday. Singer-songwriter TOMOO performs the opening theme song "Sonare," and pop duo Bialystocks will perform the ending theme song "Kotozute" (Hearsay).
The newly announced cast members are:
Junichi Suwabe as Shingo Kasamachi
Sumire Morohoshi as Emiri Nara
Eriko Matsui as Nana Daigo
Takashi Kondō as Kazunari Tōno
The anime will also have an advance screening of its first two episodes on December 2 at the Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro in Tokyo.
The manga centers on 35-year-old novelist Makio Kōdai, and her 15-year-old niece Asa, who live together under one roof. Makio took Asa in on a sudden impulse after Asa's parents, which included Makio's older sister, passed away. The next day, Makio returns to her senses and remembers that she does not do well in the company of other people. So begins their daily life, as Makio attempts to acclimate to a roommate, while Asa attempts to get used to an adult who never acts like one.
The anime will star:
• Miyuki Sawashiro as Makio Kōdai
• Fūko Mori as Asa Takumi
Miyuki Oshiro (episode director for Durarara!!×2 Ketsu, Natsume Yūjin-Chō Go, To Your Eternity) is directing the anime at Shuka. Kohei Kiyasu (Run with the Wind, My Home Hero) is in charge of composition and writing the scripts, Kenji Hayama (Princess Jellyfish, Tiger & Bunny) is designing the characters, and kensuke ushio (Chainsaw Man, A Silent Voice, Heavenly Delusion) is composing the music.
Additional staff members include:
- Sub-Character Designer: Toshie Kawamura
- Prop Setting: Miyako Kanō
- Costume Setting: Kaede Aizawa
- Art: Eriko Takahashi
- Color Design: Miho Tanaka
- Direcctor of Photography: Tomo Namiki
- Editing: Kazuhiko Seki
- Sound Director: Takahiro Ōmori
The anime will premiere in January on the ABC TV, Tokyo MX, and BS Asahi channels.
Yamashita (The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, Don't Cry Girl, Mo'some Sting) launched the manga in June 2017 in Shodensha's Feel Young magazine, and ended it in June 2023. The manga's 11th and final compiled book volume shipped in August 2023. The manga was nominated for the 28th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize earlier this year. The manga also ranked at #5 on the women's list of the 2024 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi!, topped Da Vinci's 23rd annual "Book of the Year" list for manga in December, and was nominated for the 13th Manga Taisho awards in 2020.
The manga also inspired a live-action film adaptation that premiered in Japanese theaters in June 2024.
Sources: Ikoku Nikki anime's website, Comic Natalie
