NHK Announces Live-Action Series of 'Haguregumo' for Fall 2026

NHK has revealed plans to adapt the beloved manga Haguregumo into a live-action series set to air in the fall of 2026. The show will be broadcast on NHK BS and NHK BSP4K channels.

About the Series

Set during the Bakumatsu period at Tokyo's Shinagawa-shuku way station, the story unfolds in the final days of the Tokugawa shogunate. It follows Kumo, also known as Haguregumo, an eccentric man who wears a woman's kimono and ties his hair over his forehead. The series explores his carefree life alongside his wife Kame, their son Shinnosuke, and the various characters he encounters at his shop, including real historical figures.

Cast of Haguregumo live-action adaptation

Star Cast

The eight-episode series features a talented cast:

Kana Kurashina as Kame (known for Jigoku Shōjo and Oshi no Ko)
Kuranosuke Sasaki as Haguregumo (featured in 20th Century Boys and Godzilla Minus One)
Issey Ogata as Yokujirō (noted for Phoenix: Eden17 and The Imaginary)

Creative Team

Episodes will be written by Ryō Takada (episodes 1, 2, 5, and 8) and Masashi Shimizu (remaining episodes).
The music will be composed by Kōji Endō.

About the Manga

Haguregumo originally launched in 1973 in Big Comic Original by Shogakukan and concluded in 2017. The manga inspired an anime film in 1982.

George Akiyama, the creator, passed away in May 2020 at age 77. His work has left a lasting legacy, inspiring various adaptations:

The 1970s manga Ashura influenced the 2012 anime Asura.
His manga Sutegataki Hitobito inspired a live-action film premiered in Japan in October 2013.
The manga Koiko no Mainichi led to an original video anime (OVA) in 1989.
His Gyara manga, published from 1979 to 1981, has been remade by artist Katsumi Kobayashi since 2019, with the first part ending in March 2020.

Sources