by The TV anime “Ikoku Nikki” (ABC TV, TOKYO MX, BS Asahi) will begin airing in January 2026. Additional cast members have been confirmed: Suwabe Junichi, Morohoshi Sumire, Matsui Eriko, and Kondo Takashi, with comments from the four members also arriving.
“A tale of cohabitation with an age gap between an aunt and niece who both live alone.” The original work is the manga of the same name by Yamashita Tomoko. It was also adapted into a live-action film in 2024, starring Aragaki Yui and Hayase Iku. At his sister’s funeral, shy novelist Kodai Makio (voiced by Sawashiro Miyuki) impulsively decides to take in his niece, Takumi Asa (voiced by Mori Fuko), who has lost both her parents.
Makio’s previously quiet daily life is turned upside down by the unexpected start of living together. Unaccustomed to living with others, he feels uneasy living with 15-year-old Asa. Meanwhile, Asa, who has lost both parents and nowhere to belong, experiences loneliness for the first time and is introduced to Makio’s “unadult” lifestyle, utterly different from his mother’s. Makio is not good at socializing and prefers solitude, while Asa is friendly and frank. The two, with entirely different personalities and values, begin their awkward life together, albeit with some hesitation.
This is the story of two people living alone, groping their way through life despite the age difference. New additional cast members and opening and ending theme artists announced! The additional cast members for this work have been announced: Junichi Suwabe as Shingo Kasamachi, Sumire Morohoshi as Emiri Nara, Eriko Matsui as Nana Daigo, and Takashi Kondo as Kazunari Tono. Comments from the four actors have also been released.
The opening theme for this film will be “Sonare” by singer-songwriter TOMOO, who held his largest solo concert at the Budokan in May 2025. The ending theme will be “Kotoden” by Bialystocks, a two-person band consisting of Motoki Motoki (vocals) and Kikuchi Tsuyoshi (keyboards). Each artist has also provided a statement regarding their selection. Additionally, a preview screening of episodes 1 and 2 of the TV anime “Ikoku Nikki” will be held on Tuesday, December 2nd, at Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro in Tokyo.
A talk show featuring Sawashiro, Mori, Suwabe, and others will follow the screening. Early ticket sales will begin on Tuesday, November 11th, at 9 PM. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and will close once the planned number of tickets is reached. Comment from Suwabe Junichi, who plays Kasamachi Shingo: Tomoko Yamashita’s work, which delicately depicts the characters’ inner nuances, is complete with lines that will take your breath away. It represents the emotions of people living ordinary, everyday lives, without any stylized distortion. Honestly, I don’t get many opportunities to play such characters, so it’s gratifying. It’s a quality drama. I highly recommend it. Thank you. Comment from Morohoshi Sumire, who plays Nara Emiri: I love the calm atmosphere and pleasant sharpness of the work. Every word spun is vivid and beautiful, and it seeps into me.
The acting of the cast members is also excellent, and each episode constantly moves me. After each recording, I always feel incredibly fulfilled, like I’ve seen a soothing landscape or savored a delicious meal. I poured my heart and soul into the role of Emiri so that I could exist and live in this world.
I hope everyone enjoys it. Thank you. Comment from Matsui Eriko, voice of Daigo Nana: Playing the role of Daigo Nana, I felt a sense of comfort, especially in the conversations with Makio. It was very natural, and the emotional distance between them was wonderful.
This work is a story in which the words of various characters leave a lasting impression. Whose words do you relate to, and what do you think? Nana’s words will also leave an impression on you… Please be sure to watch the anime “Ikoku Nikki”! Comment from Kondo Takashi, voice of Tono Kazunari: I’m Kondo Takashi, and I’ll be playing the role of Tono Kazunari. I appreciate your support.
I thought it would be tough to portray a serious man—or rather, a man who is too serious—so I reflected on my usual irresponsible self and tried hard to create a character like Tono through trial and error. I hope you will enjoy the image of Tono that I made in my own way. My co-stars found it quite entertaining, so while I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was a surefire hit, it’s not something to be ashamed of. I don’t need to recommend it; “Ikoku Nikki” is a truly memorable and excellent work.
The original novel, the film, and the anime all have their own merits, but I hope you’ll enjoy the anime this winter. Comment from TOMOO, Opening Theme Composer: From the time I first encountered “Ikoku Nikki” until today, I feel like I’ve already been interacting with the world through the words and gazes of the people in “Ikoku Nikki.” It’s as if the influence of close people, like family and friends, has unconsciously permeated how I speak and how I see things.
This work has had a quietly profound impact on me; it’s important to me. I wrote the song “Sonare” after hearing a melody that felt like the wind turning the pages of a notebook, opening up to the past and the future. I hope it resonates with people in a way that resonates with them. Comment from Bialystocks, Ending Theme Composer: Everyone is a resident of a “different country,” living within a spiritual divide. Using words, a tool that can connect people but also sometimes push them away, we find our own way of life through our interactions with others, however clumsy. I hope this song will sound like one of the characters in this story, at the “crossroads” where someone crosses paths, without interfering with the story or denying or affirming anyone.
