Yui Aragaki(新垣結衣) to star as Akane(天道なびき) in live action Ranma ½(らんま½)!

The classic manga “Ranma 1/2(らんま½)” is being turned into a live-action drama special this December, starring actress Yui Aragaki(新垣結衣) (23). The drama will be an original story with Tendo Akane(天道なびき) as the main character. The part of Saotome Ranma(早乙女乱馬) will be played by actor Kaku Kento(賀来賢人) (22) and Natsuna(夏菜) (22).

Originally written by Takahashi Rumiko(高橋留美子) and published by Shogakukan(小学館) between 1987 and 1996, the manga has had more than 53 million copies printed. The comic has also been adapted as an anime series and has spawned several video games.

In the drama special, Aragaki plays Akane, who is determined to protect the longevity of the Tendo dojo. However, one day her father Soun suddenly declares that the dojo’s successor must be male. This rules out Akane’s intended partner Ranma, who suffers from a curse that turns him into a girl whenever he is splashed with cold water. In order to remove the curse and inherit the dojo, Ranma seeks out a secret hot spring, but he encounters a mysterious enemy.

The announced cast also features Hasegawa Kyoko(長谷川京子) as Tendo Kasumi(天道かすみ), Tanihara Shosuke(谷原章介) as Ono Tofu(小乃東風), Furuta Arata(古田新太) as Saotome Genma(早乙女玄馬), and Namase Katsuhisa(生瀬勝久) as Tendo Soun(天道早雲). The casting for the other characters has not yet been revealed.

NTV will broadcast the 2-hour drama sometime in December.

Source: tokyograph.com