The official website for Japanese TV station Nippon TV announced today that Chihayafuru – Meguri -, a new original live-action drama inspired by Yuki Suetsugu’s karuta-themed manga Chihayafuru, will begin airing in July 2025.The manga’s original series, Chihayafuru, ran in Kodansha’s monthly manga magazine BE LOVE from December 2007 to August 2022, printing over 29 million copies with a total of 50 tankobon volumes. The upcoming drama tells a sequel story to the three-part live-action film series in 2016-2018 starring Suzu Hirose as the protagonist Chihaya Ayase, not based on the ongoing manga sequel, Chihahafuru plus Kimigatame.The story of the drama is set ten years after the film series. Suetsugu, the original manga author, also participated from the stage of constructing the plot of the script. According to producer Mayuko Sakakibara, the cast members were selected through auditions of over 2,000 people.”Every time I see the new characters ten years later coming to life and moving, I am impressed and say, ‘This ‘Chihayafuru’ is good too!,” said Suetsugu. “I sincerely hope that this work will bring the joy of hard work to children and their families through television. I would be glad if you will enjoy this new world of ‘Chihayafuru’ with us.”
The original manga’s TV anime adaptation aired for three seasons with 74 episodes from October 2011 to March 2020. Crunchyroll, which streams all three seasons, describes the series:
Chihaya Ayase has spent most of her life supporting her sister’s model career. When she meets a boy named Arata Wataya, he thinks Chihaya has potential to become a great karuta player. As Chihaya dreams of becoming Japan’s best karuta player, she is soon separated from her karuta playing friends. Now in high school, Chihaya still plays karuta in the hope that she will one day meet her friends again.
Chihayafuru TV Anime 3rd Season Trailer
Source: Nippon TV official website
