Motokare Retry (Japanese: モトカレ←リトライ, lit.'Ex-Boyfriend Retry') is a Japanese manga series by En Hanaya. Motokare Retry was serialized in the monthly shōjo manga magazine Cheese! from February 24, 2015, to January 24, 2017. A live-action television drama adaptation was broadcast from April 7, 2022, to May 26, 2022,[a] as the 19th entry to MBS TV's programming block Drama Tokku [ja].

Motokare Retry
Cover of the Japanese version of vol. 1, first released on June 26, 2015
モトカレ←リトライ
(Motokare Ritorai)
GenreRomance[1]
Manga
Written byEn Hanaya
Published byShogakukan
ImprintFlower Comics
MagazineCheese!
DemographicShōjo
Original runFebruary 24, 2015 (2015-02-24)January 24, 2017 (2017-01-24)
Volumes7
Television drama
Directed by
Written by
  • Atsumi Dojō
  • Nana Yamamoto
StudioRobot Communications
Licensed byViki
Original network
Original run April 7, 2022 (2022-04-07) May 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)
Episodes8
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Plot

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After moving to Tokyo for college, Mitsu Haneki discovers that her next-door neighbor is Kaede Hirako, her ex-boyfriend from middle school. Mitsu and Kaede realize their feelings for each other have not changed, and after clearing up misunderstandings about their break-up, they start dating each other again.[1]

Characters

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Mitsu Haneki (羽木 蜜, Haneki Mitsu)
Voiced by: Sayumi Suzushiro (movie comic),[2] Portrayed by: Asuka Kawazu (TV drama)[3]
Mitsu is a college student who has not gotten over her break-up with Kaede in middle school, but she is shocked to discover he is now her next-door neighbor.[1]
Kaede Hirako (平子 楓, Hirako Kaede)
Voiced by: Kōhei Amasaki (movie comic),[2] Portrayed by: Jin Suzuki [ja] (TV drama)[4]
Kaede is Mitsu's ex-boyfriend from middle school who was also on the baseball team. In middle school, he asked Mitsu to take a break from their relationship so he could focus on getting back onto the baseball team's starting line-up, to which she interpreted as them breaking up. He is still in love with Mitsu to this day.[5] Kaede is described as having excellent grades and is good at sports.[5] Jin Suzuki, who portrays him in the live-action drama adaptation, stated that he had only played high school students in live-action dramas based on shōjo manga, so he found it challenging to portray the romantic expressions of a high school student turning into college student.[4]
Kazuha Yamashita (山下 和葉, Yamashita Kazuha)
Voiced by: Yoshitaka Yamaya (movie comic),[2] Portrayed by: Jinto Yoshida [ja] (TV drama)[6][7]
Kazuha is Kaede's friend from high school.[5] Despite his lazy demeanor, he earns top scores in class and is highly intuitive about other people's feelings.[5] He falls in love with Mitsu.
Nina Yamashita (山下 仁菜, Yamashita Nina)
Voiced by: Chiyo Tomaru [ja] (movie comic),[2] Portrayed by: Enako (TV drama)[6]
Nina is Kazuha's cousin and Kaede's friend from high school. Nina is also Kaede's ex-girlfriend, having dated him briefly in high school and being involved in his first sexual relationship.[6]
Nonoka Yamada (山田 野乃花, Yamada Nonoka)
Portrayed by: Riho Nakamura [ja] (TV drama)[6]
Nonoka is Mitsu's best friend. In the live-action drama adaptation, the character was renamed Norika Nonohana (野々花 のりか, Nonohana Norika).[6]

Media

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Manga

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Motokare Retry is written and illustrated by En Hanaya. It was serialized in the monthly shōjo manga magazine Cheese! from the April 2015 issue released on February 24, 2024,[8] to the March 2017 issue released on January 24, 2017.[9] The chapters were later released in seven bound volumes by Shogakukan under the Flower Comics imprint.[10]

In the May 2022 issue of Cheese! released on March 24, 2022, Hanaya released a side story for Motokare Retry to celebrate the announcement of the live-action drama adaptation.[11]

No. Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1 June 26, 2015 (2015-06-26)[12]978-4091373465
2 July 24, 2015 (2015-07-24)[13]978-4091377098
3 December 25, 2015 (2015-12-25)[14]978-4091377876
4 April 26, 2016 (2016-04-26)[15]978-4091384492
5 August 26, 2016 (2016-08-26)[16]978-4091385765
6 December 26, 2016 (2016-12-26)[17]978-4091387899
7 March 24, 2017 (2017-03-24)[18]978-4091391391

Television drama

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A live-action television series adaptation was announced on March 15, 2022, as the 19th entry to MBS TV's late-night Thursday television block, Drama Tokku [ja].[1][3] The series aired on MBS TV from April 8, 2022,[b] to May 27, 2022, for 8 episodes.[4] Other broadcasts include TV Kanagawa, Chiba TV, TV Saitama, Tochigi Television, and Gunma Television.[1] TV Kanagawa broadcast the episodes from April 7 to May 26, 2022, two hours earlier than its scheduled time on MBS TV.[1]

The series stars Jin Suzuki [ja] as Kaede and Asuka Kawazu as Mitsu.[1] Regarding the casting, Hanaya, the original author of the manga, stated that Suzuki and Kawazu "fit the image" she had in mind for Kaede and Mitsu.[1] Additional cast members include Milk [ja] member Jinto Yoshida [ja] as Kazuha and Enako as Nina, and Riho Nakamura [ja] as Norika Nonohana, and Hidekazu Mashima [ja] as Mitsu's father.[6] Chikara Honda [ja] plays Professor Watanuki, an original character made for the drama, who appears as an imaginary figure in Kaede and Mitsu's daydreams.[6]

The drama adaptation is directed by Chihiro Ikeda [ja] and Hajime Hatakeyama, with Atsumi Dojō and Nana Yamamoto writing the script.[1] It is produced by Robot Communications.[1] The opening theme is "My Boy" by Chilli Beans. and the ending theme is "Akai" by Ezoshika Gourmet Club.[19]

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Lovesickness"
Transliteration: "Koiwazura" (Japanese: 恋煩い)
Chihiro Ikeda [ja]Atsumi DojōApril 7, 2022 (2022-04-07)[a]
2"Strategy"
Transliteration: "Sakusen" (Japanese: 作戦)
Chihiro IkedaAtsumi DojōApril 14, 2022 (2022-04-14)
3"What's Their Relationship?"
Transliteration: "Futari no Kankei wa?" (Japanese: 二人の関係は?)
Chihiro IkedaAtsumi Dojō, Nana YamamotoApril 21, 2022 (2022-04-21)
4"Rival of Love"
Transliteration: "Koi no Raibaru" (Japanese: 恋のライバル)
Hajime HatakeyamaAtsumi Dojō, Nana YamamotoApril 28, 2022 (2022-04-28)
5"Love Triangle"
Transliteration: "Sankaku Kankei" (Japanese: 三角関係)
Hajime HatakeyamaAtsumi DojōMay 5, 2022 (2022-05-05)
6"Revenge of the Ex-Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Motokano no Gyakushū" (Japanese: モトカノの逆襲)
Hajime HatakeyamaAtsumi DojōMay 12, 2022 (2022-05-12)
7"About the Future"
Transliteration: "Shōrai ni Tsuite" (Japanese: 将来について)
Chihiro IkedaAtsumi DojōMay 19, 2022 (2022-05-19)
8"Going Forward with Retrying"
Transliteration: "Ritorai no Sono Saki ni" (Japanese: リトライのその先に)
Chihiro IkedaAtsumi DojōMay 26, 2022 (2022-05-26)

Special

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A two-part spin-off episode of the drama adaptation, titled Motokare Retry: Our True Feelings That She Doesn't Know (モトカレ←リトライ ~カノジョが知らない僕たちの本音~, Motokare Ritorai: Kanojo ga Shiranai Boku-tachi no Honne) was released on the streaming service dTV as part of its original drama programming.[4][5][20] The series focuses on Kaede's life in high school, with the original cast from the television drama returning to reprise their roles.[20] Unlike the original drama adaptation, the spin-off episode was written to portray "conversations between men" and male friendship through Kaede and Kazuha.[5] The first part was released on May 27, 2022, and the second part was released on June 3, 2022.[c]

Movie comic

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A movie comic, featuring voiceovers to comic panels, was broadcast on dTV and YouTube on May 21, 2022, to promote the release of the two-part special, Motokare Retry: Our True Feelings That She Doesn't Know.[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b TV Kanagawa broadcast the episodes two hours earlier than MBS TV's scheduled time.[1]
  2. ^ MBS lists the broadcast date as April 7, 2022, at 00:59, which is April 8, 2022, at 12:59 AM.[1]
  3. ^ dTV lists the broadcast date as May 26, 2022, at 25:39, which is May 27, 2022, at 1:39 AM. The second part is listed with the broadcast date of June 2, 2022, at 24:00, which is June 3, 2022, at 12:00 AM.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "華谷艶のやり直しラブ「モトカレ←リトライ」ドラマ化、鈴木仁&川津明日香W主演" [En Hanaya's make-up love story Motokare Retry gets live-action drama adaptation with Jin Suzuki and Asuka Kawazu co-starring]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 15, 2022. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Cheese! editorial department [@monthly_cheese] (May 21, 2022). "『#モトカレリトライ 』 ムービーコミックが、dTVにて配信中です🥰✨ 楓:CV.#天﨑滉平 さん 蜜:CV.#鈴代紗弓 さん 和葉:CV.#山谷祥生 さん 仁菜:CV.#都丸ちよ さん 第1話をYouTubeにて公開中🌸🌸 なんと、全24話配信予定です!!!" [Motokare Retry movie comic is streaming on dTV now! Kaede: Kōhei Amasaki, Mitsu: Sayumi Suzushiro, Kazuha: Yoshitaka Yamaya, Nina: Chiyo Tomaru [...] Chapter 1 is now up on YouTube! All 24 episodes will be streamed soon!] (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved July 11, 2024 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b "鈴木仁&川津明日香『モトカレ←リトライ』W主演 嫉妬深いイケメンと天真らんまんな愛されヒロインに" [Jin Suzuki and Asuka Kawazu co-star in Motokare Retry, a story about deeply jealous cool man and an oblivious heroine loved by him]. Oricon (in Japanese). March 15, 2022. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "鈴木仁←鈴木伸之←磯村勇斗、つながる"サウナー"の輪 男子の本音とは?" [Jin Suzuki, Ryunosuke Kamiki, and Hayato Isomura: the ring that connects the "sauna": what are these men's true thoughts?]. Oricon (in Japanese). May 27, 2022. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "鈴木仁&吉田仁人、サウナやカラオケでの撮影中に2人の仲が深まった理由とは<『モトカレ←リトライ』インタビュー>" [The reason why Jin Suzuki and Jinto Yoshida deepened their friendship during filming at saunas and karaoke (Motokare Retry interview)]. The Television [ja] (in Japanese). May 30, 2022. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "「モトカレ←リトライ」に吉田仁人・中村里帆・えなこ・本多力・眞島秀和が出演". Natalie (in Japanese). March 23, 2022. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  7. ^ "【吉田仁人】『モトカレ←リトライ』に出演! 「主演の鈴木仁さんとは、もう会話が尽きません」 ドラマ撮影の裏話も告白♡【M!LK】" [(Jinto Yoshida) Appearing in Motokare Retry! "I can never run out of things to talk about with Jin Suzuki, the star of the show!" Behind-the-scenes confession about filming the drama]. Junon (in Japanese). April 7, 2022. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  8. ^ "藤間麗がCheese!でファンタジー新連載、付録は「黎明のアルカナ」1巻" [Rei Toma serializes new fantasy story in Cheese!, releases first volume of Dawn of the Arcana]. Natalie (in Japanese). February 24, 2015. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  9. ^ "やり直しラブ「モトカレ←リトライ」Cheese!で完結、次号「カノ嘘」最終回" [Motokare Retry, a love story about make-ups, ends serialization in Cheese!, final chapter of The Liar and His Lover in next issue]. Natalie (in Japanese). January 24, 2017. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  10. ^ "モトカレ←リトライ 7" [Motokare Retry vol. 7]. Shogakukan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  11. ^ "ドラマ化も決定「モトカレ←リトライ」番外編がCheese!に、本編後の2人描く" [Side story of Motokare Retry appears in Cheese! to celebrate the live-action drama adaptation, depicts the two main characters after the main story]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 24, 2022. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  12. ^ "【6月26日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(June 26) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). June 26, 2015. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  13. ^ "【7月24日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(July 24) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). July 24, 2015. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  14. ^ "【12月25日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(December 25) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). December 25, 2015. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  15. ^ "【4月26日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(April 26) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). April 26, 2016. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  16. ^ "【8月26日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(August 26) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). August 26, 2016. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  17. ^ "【12月26日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(December 26) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). December 26, 2016. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  18. ^ "【3月24日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(March 24) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 24, 2017. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  19. ^ "「モトカレ←リトライ」ポスタービジュアル解禁、OP・EDを使用した2種の番宣映像も". Natalie (in Japanese). March 28, 2022. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c "「モトカレ←リトライ」dTV版、ビジュアルと高校時代の楓映した予告公開" [Visual and trailer for dTV version of Motokare Retry released, featuring Kaede during his time in high school]. Natalie (in Japanese). May 20, 2022. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
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