sohoku

The hit manga-turned-anime is about to receive its first live-action adaptation for television.

Sometimes it’s fun to think about how Japan seems to have at least one hit manga series for every sport imaginable–including cycling. This particular niche is filled by none other than Wataru Watanabe’s breakaway hit Yowamushi Pedal, which follows the adventures of the fictional Sohoku High School’s cycling club members. The ongoing series has been serialized in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shonen Champion magazine since 2008, subsequently spawned numerous stage plays, two hit anime seasons (with a third set to premiere in January 2017), and this summer will become a live-action Japanese television drama.

The new series will air on BS SKY PerfecTV! starting in August, with a special broadcast including on-location cast member interviews rumored to air in July. Not much is known about the production yet except for two details: first, that the drama will be directed by Takayoshi Tanazawa, who is known for co-directing 2015’s hit drama Shitamachi Rocket and 2013’s Hanzawa Game, and second, that the screenplay will be by Kota Fukihara, who most recently wrote the script for the Tensai Bakabon~Kazoku no Kizuna TV special, another live-action adaptation of a manga series, in March of this year.

No word on the casting yet, but if they’re ever in a pinch, we suppose they could always call this guy on a mamachari to stand in for series’ protagonist Sakamichi Onoda.

Source: Comic Natalie 
Top image: Wikia