The classic manga Jotei Super Queen, written by Ryō Kurashina and illustrated by Issaku Wake, is returning to television screens with a new live-action adaptation. The series is scheduled to debut on October 22 as part of YTV's late-night "Drama DiVE" programming block. Nagisa Saitō, known for her roles in the live-action Oshi no Ko and Tomorrow, I Will Be Someone's Girlfriend, has been cast in the lead role of Ayaka Tachibana.
The story follows Tachibana, a young woman who, after the death of her mother, sets out to conquer the competitive world of Tokyo's Ginza district. Her journey to become the "Empress of Ginza" by climbing the ranks of the area's elite hostess clubs serves as the core narrative of the original 1996 manga, which ran in Houbunsha's Weekly Manga Times until 2001.
This new project joins a long history of adaptations for the Jotei franchise. The source material previously inspired a 2001 film, a 2007 television series, a 2011 South Korean adaptation, and a 2018 stage play. The franchise also expanded through several spinoff manga, including Jotei Hana Mai and Jotei Kaoruko, the latter of which received its own television adaptation in 2010.
Why it matters: The longevity of the Jotei franchise, which has spanned over two decades of live-action iterations, highlights the enduring popularity of Kurashina’s work in the hostess-drama genre. With the premiere set for late October, it remains to be seen how this modern production will differentiate itself from the 2007 series.
