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Moteki Romantic Comedy Manga Gets Live-Action TV Show
posted on by Egan Loo
25-year-old Mirai Moriyama (Socrates in Love/Crying Out Love in the Center of the World, 20th Century Boys、Rookies) will star in a live-action television adaptation of Mitsurō Kubo's Moteki romantic comedy manga in July. The story centers around the urban legend that even poor, aimless, single men in their late 20s have a shot at mote-ki, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at popularity with women.
Moriyama will play Yukiyo Fujimoto — a temp worker who has completely struck out in romance, but who is about to experience mote-ki just before he turns 30. Maho Nonami (2LDK, Kakashi), Hikari Mitsushima (Death Note, Pride, Shaolin Girl), Rio Matsumoto (Ace wo Nerae!, Tomie: Beginning), and Rinko Kikuchi (The Sky Crawlers, Babel) will play the women who all suddenly become interested in Fujimoto. Hitoshi Ohne (Akihabara @ DEEP, Train Man stage play, Yukemuri Sniper) returns to late-night television as the director of Moteki.
Kubo created the original manga in Kodansha's Evening magazine from 2008 to 2010, and the fourth compiled book volume is shipping this month. The manga was nominated for this year's Manga Taisho (Cartoon Grand Prize). The live-action version will launch on July 16 and run for 12 episodes as the 20th entry in TV Tokyo's popular late-night "Drama 24" timeslot.
Source: Oricon
Update: More background information added.
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