Scripted

TBS Television, U-NEXT, and THE SEVEN have announced new cast additions to their large-scale collaboration, the “TBS × U-NEXT × THE SEVEN Global Project,” the first live-action adaptation of the popular manga “Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem,” written by Shinya Umemura and illustrated by Eiji Hashimoto.

Meru Nukumi and Akira Emoto have been cast in pivotal roles that span different eras and deepen the epic narrative of the Shinsengumi and its legendary vice-commander, Toshizo Hijikata. Nukumi will portray Makoto Ichikawa, a woman who relentlessly pursues the truth behind the Shinsengumi and Hijikata himself. Emoto, one of Japan’s most acclaimed actors, will appear as Shinpachi Nagakura in the Meiji era—a survivor of the turbulent final days of the Bakumatsu period whose quiet endurance reflects the weight of history.

Akira Morii, Chief Producer, commented: “In ‘Chiruran,’ the characters portrayed by these two actors play an exceptionally important role in conveying both the way of life and the deaths of the Shinsengumi. Meru Nukumi’s honest, unadorned performance and her straightforward gaze perfectly embody Makoto’s unwavering pursuit of truth. In contrast, Akira Emoto conveys—through his very presence—the solitude and quiet acceptance of one who survived. The coming together of Nukumi’s fresh energy and Emoto’s veteran depth transforms the story of Hijikata and the Shinsengumi into a universal tale that can be passed down through time.”

A Samurai Epic
Set in Kyoto at the end of the Edo period (Bakumatsu), the series vividly portrays the intense and passionate lives of the Shinsengumi—the strongest samurai group of the era—through spectacular action and a bold interpretation rooted in historical fact.

Yuki Yamada stars as protagonist Toshizo Hijikata, alongside a cast of rising young actors portraying the members of the Shieikan, including Nobuyuki Suzuki, Aoi Nakamura, Kanata Hosoda, Shuhei Uesugi, Kisetsu Fujiwara, Yosuke Sugino, Shuntaro Yanagi, Shuto Miyazaki, and Hihio Iwanaga.

Additional cast announcements include Kento Nakajima as Izo Okada, known as “Hitokiri Izo” (Izo the Assassin)—Hijikata’s sworn enemy and uneasy ally—and Go Ayano as Kamo Serizawa, the ruthless and formidable antagonist who stands in the protagonists’ way. The ensemble cast is further rounded out by Eita Okuno, Mitsuomi Takahashi, Nobuaki Kaneko, Masanobu Ando, and Yuki Sakurai.

This “Japanese sword-action entertainment” traces Hijikata’s journey as he encounters the greatness of Isami Kondo and goes on to build the legendary Shinsengumi alongside powerful figures such as Soji Okita and Hajime Saito. Beyond chronicling how these men lived, the story also confronts how their lives came to an end—where friendship, betrayal, and conviction intertwine during a time of profound historical change.

With modern, striking character designs and high-speed sword fighting (“tate”) praised as the fastest ever depicted, the series brings to life the fierce determination of men who lived briefly but brilliantly, staking everything on their beliefs in an era on the brink of transformation.