The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the live-action series adaptation of Takeshi Natsuhara and Takashi Hamori’s “Densetsu no Head Sho” manga unveiled the show’s main visual, introduced three additional cast members, and confirmed its premiere date of July 19.
Naoko Iijima joins as Beniko Ijūin, Shō’s grandmother and founding president of the “Ladies Beni” group, positioned prominently in the central image. Karma assumes the role of Shin Tōjō, leader of the “Blood Mafia” group, featured on the right side of the visual. Moe Yuki portrays Kanako Kasumi, a former member of “Ladies Beni” and current bar employee under Beniko’s management.
The series will debut on TV Asahi at 11:15 p.m. JST on July 19.
Fumiya Takahashi, known for his role in “Kamen Rider Zero-One,” tackles the dual roles of protagonist Tatsuhito Yamada and gang leader Shō Ijūin. Nagisa Sekimizu, previously announced, plays Aya Fujitani, the standout member of the “Old Street Corner Sukebans” idol group.
Takashi Sumida, Keisuke Kondō, and Hisashi Ueda helm the direction, with Kazunao Furuya crafting the scripts and Alisa Okehazama providing the musical score.
“Densetsu no Head Sho”: A Tale of Look-Alikes and Gang Drama by Natsuhara and Kuromaru
The manga storyline revolves around the unexpected encounter between two look-alikes: Shō Ijūin, leader of the massive Grand Cross gang, and Tatsuhito Yamada, a low-ranking student in the school hierarchy. Their lives intertwine in unforeseen ways, leading to a dramatic switch.
“Densetsu no Head Sho” originally serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 2003 to 2005, marking Natsuhara’s debut. Kodansha compiled the manga into 11 volumes.
Following their collaboration on “Kurosagi – The Black Swindler,” Natsuhara and Kuromaru continued their creative partnership. “Kurosagi – The Black Swindler” ran in Shogakukan’s Weekly Young Sunday from 2003 to 2008, spanning 20 volumes. Its sequel, “Shin Kurosagi,” launched in Weekly Young Sunday and concluded in Big Comic Spirits, spanning 18 volumes until 2012.
The saga wrapped up with “Shin Kurosagi Kanketsu-hen” in 2013 across four volumes. The series inspired a live-action television adaptation starring Tomohisa Yamashita in 2006, followed by a sequel film in 2008, and a new series in October 2022.
