Interest
Real-Life Samurai Re-imagined as Idols in Radio Show
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
Publishing company Nishimura, Co., Ltd. and Hobby Japan magazine are collaborating on a radio show featuring real-life samurai re-imagined as idols. "Ijin Idol Project: Reki-Sing" casts Daisuke Ono as Sakamoto Ryōma, Hiro Shimono as Okada Izō, and Wataru Hatano as Takechi Hanpeita. (Historical Japanese names are listed family name first, while modern names are listed family name last.)
In the story, these samurai have suddenly leapt in time from the Bakumatsu era (the period that spelled the end of the shoguns' rule over Japan) to 2025. Sakamoto becomes a cool and handsome music producer managing singers Okada and Takechi. A meteorite had struck the neighborhood of Kōchi a year earlier, and so the local people live in despair amid the destruction. The samurai idols vow to save the people by raising their hopes with music.
This is Hobby Japan's first original content project aimed at a female audience. Yōko Umetsu designed the characters, while Michiko Itou (Ōkami-san & Her Seven Companions, Ro-Kyu-Bu!, Queen's Blade 2: The Evil Eye) and Aki Tōga are writing the scripts.
Starting July 7, the program will air every Saturday from 10:00 to 10:30 p.m. via RKC Kōchi Broadcasting. Past episodes will then be available for streaming via Animate.tv's website starting July 10. Drama CDs are also planned.
[Via Yaraon!]
Image © Reki-sing Project
