News Reporting

Live-Action Nisekoi Casts Natsumi Ikema as Onodera


Headshot : Natsumi Ikema
(C) Makoto Hada

It looks like this love triangle is now complete.

Earlier today, the staff for the upcoming live-action Nisekoi film unveiled a new cast member. Natsumi Ikema will play Kosaki Onodera in the film.

Natsumi Ikema is a 15-year-old actress, who recently starred in a commercial for Shiseido’s “Sea Breeze” brand of liquid antiperspirant. You can check the commercial out below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzvOZssuKjQ

Ikema also starred in a commercial promoting McDonalds’ soft serve and waffle cones which started airing in April.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0PV2llcHFM

Ikema commented on her new role, noting that she was a fan of the series. She stated she was shocked she received the role: I was surprised, and just cried out “I’m playing Kosaki?! […] I wouldn’t have imagined that this would happen when I was reading the manga. I want to go back and tell my past self about this.”

The live-action Nisekoi movie will hit Japanese theaters in December 2018.

The feature will star the following:

  • Raku Ichijo: Kento Nakajima
  • Chitoge Kirisaki: Ayami Nakajo

The film is based on Naoshi Komi’s manga of the same name. The series ran in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from November 2011 through August 2016, spanning 25 compiled volumes. Viz Media currently holds the domestic right to the series in North America. They describe the title as:

It’s hate at first sight… rather, a knee-to-the-head at first sight when Raku Ichijo meets Chitoge Kirisaki! Unfortunately, Raku’s gangster father arranges a false love match with their rival’s daughter – who just so happens to be Chitoge!

However, Raku’s searching for his childhood sweetheart from ten years ago, with a pendant around his neck as a memento, but he can’t even remember her name or face!

Nisekoi also inspired an anime TV series, which hit Japanese TV in the Winter 2014 broadcast season. Akiyuki Shinbo (Monogatari series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica) served as Chief Director on the project, while Naoyuki Tatsuwa (Gourmet Girl Graffiti) directed the title at Shaft. Nobuhiro Sugiyama (March comes in like a lion, Arakawa Under the Bridge) provided character designs for the show, while Shinbo and Fuyashi Tou (Bakemonogatari, Zoku Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei) collaborated on series composition.

The title ran for two seasons and an OVA. Aniplex of America currently holds the domestic rights to the Nisekoi anime series.

Sources: Oricon, Yaraon!

About the author

Samantha Ferreira

Samantha Ferreira is Anime Herald’s founder and editor-in-chief. A Rhode Island native, Samantha has been an anime fan since 1992, and an active member of the anime press since 2002, when she began working as a reviewer for Anime Dream. She launched Anime Herald in 2010, and continues to oversee its operations to this day. Outside of journalism, Samantha actively studies the history of the North American anime fandom and industry, with a particular focus on the 2000s anime boom and bust. She’s a huge fan of all things Sakura Wars, and maintains series fansite Combat Revue Review when she has free time available. When not in the Anime Herald Discord, Samantha can typically be found on Bluesky.

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