"Ikoku Nikki" will start airing in January 2026. Sawashiro Miyuki will play the main character, Takashiro Makio, and Mori Fuko will play Tagumi Asa.

(C)ヤマシタトモコ・祥伝社／アニメ「違国日記」製作委員会

It has been decided that the TV anime adaptation of Tomoko Yamashita's manga "Ikoku Nikki" will start airing on ABC TV, TOKYO MX, and BS Asahi from January 2026.

It was also revealed that the main character, Kodai Makio, will be played by Sawashiro Miyuki, and Takumi Asa will be played by Mori Fuko, and the first promotional video and key visual have been released.

(C)ヤマシタトモコ・祥伝社／アニメ「違国日記」製作委員会

The original work, which was serialized in "FEEL YOUNG" (published by Shodensha) from 2017 to 2023, is a popular work that ranked 4th in the "Manga Taisho 2019," 5th in the "This Manga is Amazing! 2024" women's edition, and 1st in the "BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023" comic rankings by Da Vinci.

The story follows the life of a novelist, Makio, and his niece, who loses her parents on the morning they are born. The two, who have completely different values ​​and personalities, fumble their way through life together. 

The manga is available in 11 volumes. A live-action film starring Aragaki Yui and Hayase Ikuo was released in 2024.

 

(C)ヤマシタトモコ・祥伝社／アニメ「違国日記」製作委員会

Sawashiro plays Makio, a 35-year-old young novelist who prefers solitude and lives an "unadult" lifestyle. 
Meanwhile, Mori plays Asa, a friendly and honest third-year junior high school student, making this her first attempt at playing a main character.

(C)ヤマシタトモコ・祥伝社／アニメ「違国日記」製作委員会

In the first PV, you can hear the lines of Makio, who is shy but strong-willed, and Asa, who is innocent but finds herself in a complicated situation. 

The first key visual depicts a scene from the daily lives of Makio and Asa, who are contrasting characters as if they live in different countries.

The full comments from the cast and staff are as follows:

[Sawashiro Miyuki (role of Takashiro Makio)]

(C)ヤマシタトモコ・祥伝社／アニメ「違国日記」製作委員会

I'm Sawashiro Miyuki, and I'll be providing the voice for Takashiro Makio.

I concentrated on somehow capturing the essence of Makio from the original work as closely as possible through my voice, but... I recalled the morning and the recording of "Ikoku Nikki" as if it were something that happened in my own life, as if I had once lived with a middle school girl. I wonder if I was able to properly speak the words of Makio, a person who is a different person? Was I able to stand in her desert?

I am quietly waiting, full of anticipation and anxiety, for the day when I can meet you all, hand in hand with my art and music.

[Fuko Mori (role of Asa Tagumi)]

(C)ヤマシタトモコ・祥伝社／アニメ「違国日記」製作委員会

On a personal note, "Ikoku Nikki" was the first anime role I got after auditioning.

The first thing I thought when I read the original manga was, "I want to meet Makio!"

I'm very happy that by being involved in this series as an Asa, I've been able to indirectly fulfill that wish.

I'm truly grateful to everyone who supported me in my humble beginnings.

"Ikoku Nikki" is a work that makes you realize the difficulty and preciousness of people caring about each other.

I played the role in the hope that I could convey to everyone, even just a little, what moved me.

I hope this work will become an oasis for those who have a desert in their hearts.

I hope you enjoy the anime "Ikoku Nikki."

[Director: Miyuki Oshiro]

It's been quite a while since I first voiced my desire to turn this work into an anime because I love it, but it looks like I'll finally be able to make it happen.

While respecting the feeling you get after reading the original, I tried to express "Ikoku Nikki" in a way that is unique to anime.

I hope you enjoy it along with the wonderful voices and music.

[Kiyasu Kohei (composition and scriptwriting)]

It's been two and a half years since I was handed the script for the final episode. When I think about how the production team has been continuously operating during that time, I feel hesitant to watch this or any other animation while lying on the sofa. Furthermore, there is still some time until the broadcast, so I'm sure the production team is still in operation. In order to pay my respects to those tireless days, I would like to sit up straight and wait for the moment when I can see the whole picture with my own eyes.

But that means it's been more than three years since I first came across the original work. It may feel like the social climate and the circumstances surrounding creative work have changed somewhat since then, but what do you think?

However, I believe that the lives surrounding Makio and Asa will always remain the same. Like a spring bubbling up from within. A universal and important story that deserves to be shared with someone is always born from the lonely and personal reaction of someone's heart, even in prehistoric times. I feel that Yamashita and "Ikoku Nikki" are teaching us this fundamental principle of creativity.

Every time I come into contact with the lives of the characters, I am confident that I will experience the same pain and joy. Please watch it with me.

[Kenji Hayama (character design)]

All of our staff will do their best.

Thank you for your support.

[Kensuke Ushio (music)]

Several years have passed since the serialization.

Now, when I read the work again, I was surprised to find that I was moved by completely different points, with a completely different perspective.

As the years pass, was I the morning? Or Makio? Or a relative at the funeral? I composed the music while asking myself these questions.

I hope that at the very least, I can be close to everyone.

...But no matter how old you are, dry sushi is killer.