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Live-Action Sazae-san TV Special Casts Taiki Nakabayashi as Wakame's Boyfriend
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The official Twitter account for the 50th anniversary special of the family television anime Sazae-san revealed on Tuesday that Taiki Nakabayashi (seen below) will play Wakame's boyfriend Takeshi Kaizuka in the special's live-action segment. The character is a new original character for the special.
In the sequel story set 20 years later, Takeshi works in the same clothing company that Wakame works at, but in a customer-facing role. He is three years older than Wakame, and fell in love with her at first sight. Wakame also liked his earnest attitude, and they have been dating for a year. When Takeshi is called overseas for a job, and Takeshi wants her to come with him, Wakame has to choose between her relationship and her career.
The live-action segment's cast members include (from left to right in image above):
- Yoshie Ichige as Fune
- Masatō Ibu as Namihei
- Gaku Hamada as Katsuo
- Yūki Amami as Sazae
- Hidetoshi Nishijima as Masuo
- Mayu Matsuoka as Wakame
- Ryō Narita as Tarao
- Hiyori Sakurada as Hitode Fuguta
Shinya Kote will also play Anago in the live-action segment. Norito Yashima will play Sazae's cousin Norisuke Namino.
The special will premiere on November 24, and will air for three and a half hours on Fuji TV. Masayuki Suzuki is directing the live-action segment, and Tomoko Akutsu is penning the script.
The live-action segment will depict the family 20 years into the future. This segment serves as a follow-up to the September 2018 sequel stage play that imagines the family 10 years into the future.
The anime segment of the special will bring in fantasy elements as it depicts the past of Sazae's family, as well as a family trip. Earlier this year, the staff chose 28 families from Tokyo's Asahigaoka district (the setting of the Sazae-san story) to be animated into the series, and this anniversary special's anime segment will feature three of those families. These families' names will even appear in the anime segment.
Sources: Sazae-san 50th anniversary special's Twitter account, Comic Natalie
