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Live-Action Wakako-zake Season 8's Trailer Unveils More Cast, Theme Song Artists

The staff for the eighth season of the live-action series based on Chie Shinkyū's Wakako-zake manga unveiled a new 30-second trailer and visual for the series on Monday. The trailer reveals more cast for the season. In addition, the idols of the Gang Parade group announced that they will perform the season's opening theme song "Sparkling Moon." Singer Shione is performing the ending theme song "Shiawase no Kūki" (Happy Atmosphere).

The season's new cast members include Kanji Tsuda as the old chef and owner of the Komori-tei izakaya restaurant, and Wakako Shimazaki as Wakako's mother Hitomi Murasaki. In addition, Hide of the comedy duo Penalty will be a guest cast member in the first episode, and comedy duo Raichō will guest star in the fourth episode.

Rina Takeda is again starring in the new season.

Directors for this season include Shinji Kuma, Shōhei Wakabayashi, and Tarō Kubota. Scriptwriters include Kumiko Asō, Momoka Meriyama, and Shōhei Wakabayashi.

The Wakako-zake cuisine manga follows 26-year old Wakako, who drinks different kinds of alcoholic beverages at bars and restaurants alone every night, searching for her place to belong.

Shinkyū started the manga in Coamix's Monthly Comic Zenon magazine in 2011. Media Do released the first volume of the manga digitally in English on several platforms in October 2018. The manga inspired a 12-episode series of three-minute anime shorts, starring Miyuki Sawashiro, that premiered in July 2015. Crunchyroll streamed the anime series as it aired.

The first 12-episode live-action television season based on the manga aired in January-March 2015, and the second and third 12-episode seasons premiered in January 2016 and April 2017, respectively. The fourth season premiered in January 2019, and the fifth season premiered in April 2020 and aired for 12 episodes. The series had its first special in December 2020. The sixth season premiered in January 2022, and the seventh season premiered in July 2023.

Sources: BS TV Tokyo, Comic Natalie