Nippon TV's weekday morning program "ZIP!" is bringing back its morning drama after about four years. "Atasha Kawajiri Kodama da yo," starring Kanna Hashimoto, 27, starts on January 11 and runs about three minutes an episode as a short comedy.
Hashimoto plays a kappa — a water sprite from Japanese folklore — who is slapdash and indulgent toward her own wishes to eat, sleep and slack off. "I really sympathize with that positive thinking — 'how do I positively spoil myself?'" she said.
The show is planned for 25 episodes and will air near the end of the program, around 8:50 a.m. "DayDay." begins at 9, and a commercial broadcaster official said: "They're probably aiming to grab viewers with the drama and carry them straight over."
Manga origins and a familiar director
The original is an essay manga of the same name by Kodama Kawajiri, who draws her own daily life. It depicts in humorous style everyday moments many people recognize, such as giving in to desires or putting off troublesome tasks.
Yuichi Fukuda, who has worked with Hashimoto repeatedly, including on the live-action "Gintama" films, wrote the script and directs. He called her "the only comedy queen who can turn seemingly negative things into laughter with a huge reversal," and said that after reading the manga he immediately asked: "This is Kanna-chan, right?"
Producer Naoaki Kitajima explained the aim: "I want to deliver a new kind of fun in the hectic hours when the day begins." Hashimoto said the work "shows an ease of living that affirms yourself, and a humanity that lightens viewers' hearts. I hope it's a show that lets people head to work or school feeling positive."
Hashimoto also led the 2024 NHK morning drama "Omusubi," brightening mornings there. Now she is set to bring energy to Japan's mornings again.
Hulu run
On Hulu, a week's worth of the terrestrial broadcast will stream ahead in a batch every Monday at 6 a.m. Two Hulu-only episodes will be released exclusively every Friday at 9 a.m. Over five weeks, 35 episodes will run in total: the 25 shown on terrestrial TV plus 10 Hulu-only episodes.