The Wakaoka wa Shogakusei! will be adapted into a theater movie just prior to its TV broadcast! Roadshow in September, 2018

The children's book series "Wakaoka wa Shogakusei!", which has sold over 3 million copies in total will be released in September 2018.

The Wakaoka wa Shogakusei! (original story by Hiroko Reijo, illustrations by Asami) is a popular series from Kodansha Aoitori Bunko that has sold over 3 million copies. The story is about a sixth-grade girl, Okko (Oriko Seki), who loses her parents in an accident and ends up living at her grandmother's hot spring inn, "Harunoya," and struggles every day as a young wolf to entertain the unusual guests who keep coming, with the help of Uribo the Yurei and her rival, Mayuki. In March, the show will be adapted into a TV anime, which will be broadcast on April 8 (Sun.) on TV Tokyo's six network stations.

Prior to the broadcast of the TV anime, "Wakaokami wa Shogakusei! will be made into a movie prior to the TV anime broadcast! The film version of "Wakaoka wa Shogakusei! will depict the story of the parents and the father, which was not depicted in the original story or the TV series.

The cast will continue from the TV anime version, with Seiran Kobayashi playing the main character, Oriko Seki, Seisui Matsuda playing the role of Uribo (Makoto Tachiuri), and Nana Mizuki playing the role of Oko's rival, Mazuki Akino.

Directed by Kitaro Kosaka, this will be his first theatrical film in 15 years since "Nasu: Summer in Andalusia" (2003). The film was written by Reiko Yoshida of "Unamplified" fame and features music by Keiichi Suzuki, winner of the Best Music Award at the 41st Japan Academy Prize for "Outrage: The Final Chapter.

Comments from Hiroko Reijo, the author of the original story, Kotaro Kosaka, the director, and Seiran Kobayashi, who plays Okko, as well as a PV of the movie version have arrived.

Comments
Comment from Hiroko Reijo, the author of the original story
I will never forget the shock I felt when I first saw the storyboard of Hananoyu Onsen drawn by director Kitaro Kosaka. It was exactly as I had imagined it to be, as if it had been projected straight from my mind.

I am deeply grateful to the director for accurately conveying everything I wanted to convey to the readers of the original story in a wonderfully realistic, beautiful, and warm image. I believe that this is a masterpiece that will make you laugh, cry, and feel your heart warm, not only for those who read the original story as children, but also for those who will meet Okkachan, Uribo, and Miho for the first time in this movie.

I hope that people of all ages, from young children to the elderly, will watch this film, and I am sure that people who have seen it will talk about it with each other and get excited about it again, which will make them feel even more warm and fuzzy.

Director: Kitaro Kosaka Comment
The story spins a tale of tragedy and joy as the main character, including the people around her, grows up with the knowledge and wisdom of manners and customer service, which may seem unreasonable to today's girls, but which she has to overcome.

The film's main point is not to tell the story of "self-discovery," a period of delusion after the ego has become bloated, but how to depict the "selflessness" that lies beyond that, or how Buddhism says that "the formation of a person depends on the relationship of the five skandhas" and Marx says that the superstructure (human consciousness) is created by the substructure (society at that time).

The main character, Oko, is the source of her energy, her lively radiance, and her clumsy but selfless feelings for the customers who visit Harunoya Ryokan, and that is her energy!

An actor once told me, "When you are playing a role, you really feel alive. She said that when she is playing a role, she feels alive, and when she goes home and is alone, she does not know who she is. In other words, you become something you are not. It is when you work for other people that your strength comes out!

Comment from Seiran Kobayashi as Oriko Seki
I think many of you read this work as a child. I also encountered this book in my elementary school library and read it all the time.

In the movie, we see Okko-chan working very hard as a young wolf with great enthusiasm!
Laughing, crying, getting angry, being surprised... Okko-chan's 100 faces are also a highlight of the film.

I would be happy if everyone can feel a little more positive and relaxed after watching this film.
I will do my best to grow together with Okko-chan, so please give me your support!

Film Information] (*Honorific titles omitted)
The Movie "Waka Okami wa Shogakusei!
Release date: September 2018 at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya and other theaters nationwide.
Official website: #

<Cast
Oriko Seki (Okko): Seiran Kobayashi
Uribo (Makoto Tachibori): Matsuda Sosui
Akino Mazuki: Mizuki Nana
Mineko Seki: Shunsui Ichiryuusai
Etsuko Tajima: Sadatomo Ichiryuusai Kounosuke Minoda (Yasusan): Masaki Terasoma
Suzuki: Etsuko Kozakura

<Staff> (Japanese only)
Original story: Hiroko Reijo and Asami (illustrations)
(Kodansha Aoitori Bunko "Wakaoka wa Shogakusei! series)
Director : Kitaro Kosaka
Screenplay : Reiko Yoshida
Art Director：Kyoko Yanai
Animation Director：Shunsuke Hirota
Art Director：Yoichi Watanabe
Color Designer：Terumi Nakauchi
CG Director : Tomohisa Shitara
Director of Photography：Michiya Kato
Editing: Takeshi Seyama
Music: Keiichi Suzuki
Sound Director: Masafumi Mima
Sound Effects: Shizuo Kurahashi, Sawako Nishi
Animation Production: DLE, Madhouse

TV Animation "Wakaoka wa Shogakusei!
Broadcast Date: April 8 (Sun.), 2018, 7:14 a.m. on TV Tokyo's 6 stations network
TV anime official website：#

<Cast
Oriko Seki (Okko): Seiran Kobayashi
Uribo (Tachibori Makoto): Matsuda Sousui
Akino Mazuki: Mizuki Nana
Mineko Seki: Shunsui Ichiryuusai
Etsuko Tajima: Sadatomo Ichiryuusai
Minoda Kounosuke (Yasusan): Terasoma Masaki
Suzuki: Etsuko Kozakura

<Staff> (Japanese only)
Original story: Hiroko Reijo and Asami (illustrations)
(Kodansha Aoitori Bunko "Wakaoka wa Shogakusei! series)
Director : Mitsuyuki Masuhara, Tani Azuma
Series Composition: Michiko Yokote
Character Design: Akiko Asago
Sound Director: Masafumi Mima
Sound Production: Techno Sound
Music: Hama Takeshi
Animation Production Supervisor: DLE
Animation Production: Madhouse


©Hiroko Reijo, Asami, Kodansha / Wakaoka wa Shogakusei! Production Committee