After more than a decade, fans of the hit romantic comedy Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun will finally see the beloved anime brought to life in a new format. Chinese streaming platform iQIYI has announced that a live-action adaptation titled The Comic Bang! will debut on May 22. The series stars Shen Yue and Wang Jingxuan and aims to capture the heart and humor of the original anime.
The original anime, based on Izumi Tsubaki’s manga, premiered in 2014 with 12 episodes. It quickly gained a strong following for its clever parody of shōjo manga clichés and its cast of eccentric characters. Despite its popularity, the anime never received a second season, leaving fans to follow the story through the ongoing manga.
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun follows high school student Chiyo Sakura, who confesses her feelings to her crush, Umetarou Nozaki. However, Nozaki mistakes her for a fan and recruits her to help with his secret job as a popular shōjo manga artist. What follows is a series of humorous misunderstandings and exaggerated romantic situations, made even more entertaining by a cast that turns every classic trope on its head.
The new live-action series will transplant the story into a Chinese setting. Shen Yue, known for her roles in romantic dramas, will play Chiyo, while Wang Jingxuan takes on the role of Nozaki. While live-action adaptations often tone down the visual gags of anime, early trailers suggest The Comic Bang! will keep the original’s slapstick humor and awkward romantic energy.
Bringing anime’s fast-paced comedy to live-action can be challenging, but Chinese adaptations of Japanese media have seen increasing success in recent years. If done well, The Comic Bang! could introduce the charm of Nozaki-kun to a new audience while giving longtime fans the adaptation they’ve long hoped for.
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