NHK has tapped Hayate Ichinose, known for his work in Kishiryū Sentai Ryusoulger, to play the male lead Tatsuki Manabe in the upcoming live-action adaptation of Ao no Hana Utsuwa no Mori (Blue Flower, Forest of Vessels). He joins previously announced lead Rena Matsui, a former SKE48 and Nogizaka46 idol, who will portray the protagonist Aoko.
The series is scheduled to debut during NHK’s "Yorudora" programming block later this fall. The narrative follows Aoko, a ceramics painter living in the town of Hasami—a location renowned for its pottery—whose life shifts when she meets a mysterious young man, Tatsuki, who begins frequenting her studio.
The source material, written by Yūki Kodama, concluded its run in Shogakukan’s Flowers magazine in 2022 after ten volumes. Kodama is widely recognized for her previous works, most notably the critically acclaimed jazz-centric series Kids on the Slope, which received both an anime adaptation on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block and a live-action film. This latest production continues the trend of adapting Kodama’s character-driven dramas for television audiences.
