Mana Ashida On Playing Maomao: Greatest Happiness, Says Live-Action Lead
Ashida's comment ties the live-action Maomao to the affection fans hold for the original character, as Prime Video doubles down on Japanese originals.
Reporting from 1 source: Dengeki Hobby Web.
At Prime Video Presents Tokyo on September 3, 2026, Mana Ashida, who plays Maomao in the live-action adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries, said, 'Being able to play a beloved character is the greatest happiness.' The event also featured cast and creators from Bless, Jinko Glico, Please Save My Earth, and The Silent Fleet, with Prime Video announcing doubled investment in Japanese original works over the next two years.
At Prime Video Presents Tokyo, held September 3 at Fairmont Tokyo, Mana Ashida took the stage as the live-action Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries. Her words were simple: playing a character so many people love is the greatest happiness.
She appeared alongside casts from Bless, Jinko Glico, Please Save My Earth, and The Silent Fleet: Awaken, New York. Earlier, Prime Video Japan Country Manager Keisuke Oishi and Amazon MGM Studios Head of Japan Buddy Marini outlined growth plans, including doubling investment in Japanese original works over the next two years.
- Bless: Ryusei Onishi plays the lead, a protagonist aiming to become a makeup artist
- Jinko Glico: Live-action adaptation of Yugo Aosaki's mystery novel, with co-leads Nana Mori and Aju Makita
- Please Save My Earth: Alice Hirose stars, directed by Takahiro Miki
- The Silent Fleet: Awaken, New York: Aya Ueto, Aoi Nakamura, and Kenjiro Tsuda appear
- The Apothecary Diaries: Mana Ashida plays Maomao
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.