A live-action drama adaptation of Karuho Shiina‘s Kimi ni Todoke romance manga is set to stream on Netflix in 2023. Sara Minami and Ouji Suzuka are playing the lead roles of Sawako Kuronuma and Shota Kazehaya respectively.
Takehiko Shinjou (Your Lie in April) and Takeo Kikuchi (Taisou Shiyou yo) are co-directing the drama.
Kimi ni Todoke ran from 2006 to 2017 in Shueisha’s Bessatsu Margaret magazine and ended with 30 tankoubon volumes. A spin-off subtitled Unmei no Hito ran from 2018 to 2022 and was compiled into three tankoubon volumes.
Kimi ni Todoke was previously adapted into a Production I.G produced anime series, titled Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You in English, with Hiro Kaburagi as the director. The first season premiered in 2009 and ran for 25 episodes, while the second season premiered in 2011 and ran for 13 episodes.
The manga also inspired a live-action movie adaptation that was released in 2010. The movie starred Mikako Tabe and Haruma Miura in the lead roles.
Crunchyroll describes the anime as:
Sawako Kuronuma has had a difficult time fitting in. Some say it’s her jet black hair, others say it’s her hushed manner of speaking, while still others claim it is due to her name’s similarity to Sadako, a character from a popular Japanese horror series. On her first day of high school, Sawako meets the one boy who treats her like a normal girl-Shota Kazehaya. Through his selfless aid, Sawako slowly learns to come out of her shell and even begins to make friends for the first time in her life. However, with a new social life come social pressures. Rumors begin to circulate about her, her friends, and even the kindhearted Kazehaya. As she grows into her new identity, Sawako must learn to deal with such pressures as well as start to understand the unfamiliar feelings inside of her, especially in regards to the boy who made her new start possible.
Source: @NetflixJP
