Netflix Sets Fujiyama Boy for January 2027 With Wataru Ichinose and Suzu Hirose
The series pairs Ichinose, whose Netflix debut Sanctuary reached a global audience, with Hirose in her first top-idol role, and marks a reunion between Hirose and director Irie after their previous collaboration.
Key Facts
- Netflix will premiere Fujiyama Boy worldwide in January 2027.
- Wataru Ichinose plays Kakuhata Kanta, a shut-in for eight years with zero romantic experience.
- Suzu Hirose plays Hamamiya Mami, Japan's top idol.
- Yu Irie directs and Shigeki Kaneko writes the scripts.
- Ichinose previously starred in the Netflix series Sanctuary.
Reporting from 2 sources: Cinema Today, Magmix.
Netflix announced on September 1 that its original series Fujiyama Boy will premiere worldwide in January 2027. Wataru Ichinose stars as Kakuhata Kanta, a man who has been a shut-in for eight years and has zero romantic experience. Suzu Hirose plays Hamamiya Mami, Japan's top idol, whom Kanta vows to marry after his dying mother tells him she dreamed of the union. The story follows Kanta's sudden declaration that he will marry the idol and his subsequent struggle to make that happen. Ichinose, who previously starred in the Netflix series Sanctuary, said he was surprised to hear Netflix wanted him for a love story and that he felt obligated to give his all since Netflix changed his life. Hirose described the project as quite funky and said she wondered why she was cast, but praised the explosive strength of her character. The series is directed by Yu Irie, known for the SR Saitama no Rappers films and An no Koto, with scripts by Shigeki Kaneko, who won the 38th Kuniko Mukoda Award for Ore no Hanashi wa Nagai. Executive producer Yuta Fukui said the story is about a man who recklessly pursues a love everyone calls impossible.
The teaser art shows Hirose in a pure white stage outfit holding a microphone, and the character stills released with the announcement have drawn fan reactions online. Commenters on the visual called her "an unattainable flower" and "beauty from another dimension," with some wondering whether the series will include singing scenes. Director Yu Irie said the script from Shigeki Kaneko made his heart leap and frightened him each time it arrived, because comedy is the hardest genre to make. He described Ichinose crying so hard on the final day of shooting that he was moved to tears himself. Irie also noted this is his second time working with Hirose and said he threw various balls at her to find where her limits were, and concluded she seemed to have none. Kaneko said he wrote the script hoping it would reach people like Los Angeles Dodgers player Mookie Betts and French judoka Teddy Riner, given the worldwide release. Executive producer Yuta Fukui said he first worked with Hirose about 10 years ago and called her one of the most impressive women he has met. He said the story is about a man who recklessly pursues a love everyone calls impossible, and he hopes it makes viewers want to try something slightly reckless tomorrow. Ichinose said this is his second lead role in a Netflix series after Sanctuary, where he played a solitary sumo wrestler.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.