Wakakozake
Ja kanjiワカコ酒
GenreCooking,[1] iyashikei[2]
Wakakozake
manga
AuthorChie Shinkyu
PublisherTokuma Shoten
Magazine
FirstSeptember 2011
Volumes24
Wakakozake
tv series
DirectorMinoru Yamaoka
StudioOffice DCI
NetworkTokyo MX, Sun TV
FirstJuly 5, 2015
LastSeptember 20, 2015
Episodes12
Taishū Sakaba Wakao - Wakako-zake Betten
manga
AuthorNenzu Nyanbara
PublisherTokuma Shoten
MagazineWeb Comic Zenyon
FirstJanuary 2019
LastJuly 2022
Volumes7

Wakakozake (ワカコ酒, lit. 'Wakako Sake') is a Japanese manga series by Chie Shinkyu. It has been serialized by Tokuma Shoten in the seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Zenon since the September 2011 issue;[3] it is also available on Web Comic Zenyon.[4] The series has twenty-four volumes so far; the first volume was released in May 2013,[5] and the latest release in February 2025.[6]

It was adapted into a Japanese television drama[7] by North Stars Pictures starring Rina Takeda, and a short-length anime television series by Office DCI aired from July 5, 2015, to September 20, 2015.[8][9] Season 1 of the live action adaptation was aired April 3, 2015, followed by the second season, released on January 8, 2016, and the third season, released on April 7, 2017. After a year's hiatus, the fourth season aired on January 7, 2019.[10] On October 24, 2019, TV Tokyo and Monthly Comic Zenon simultaneously announced that the Season 5 of the live-action adaptation would air in January 2020.[11][12]

All adaptations, both anime and live-action, were broadcast on TV Tokyo and BS Japan. The anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll, with the platform also streaming two early seasons of the live-action adaptation; both are distributed by SPO Entertainment.[13] As of 2019, it is unknown when Crunchyroll will release Seasons 3, 4, and 5 of the live-action Wakakozake.

A spin-off manga written by Nenzu Nyanbara titled Taishū Sakaba Wakao - Wakako-zake Betten was serialized in Tokuma Shoten's Web Comic Zenyon from January 2019 to July 2022.[14][15] Seven volumes were published.

Plot

The series follows the daily adventures of Wakako Murasaki, an ordinary 26-year-old salary woman. After a tiring day's work, she goes off alone to explore various local restaurants, pubs, food stalls and the like and tries out random Japanese food that she usually pairs up with an alcoholic beverage.

She is said to be a drinker girl with a taste for liquor. Whenever her drink compliments her food, Wakako shows her contentment with a sigh of "pshū" (プシュー).[16]

Oftentimes, Wakako goes to faraway cities as well to try out cuisines or even go out with her close friends. In the first few seasons of the live action, she also stays at home or visits others to cook with her friends or try out cuisines from venues rather than actual restaurants.

Characters

Wakako Murasaki
Voice TV Anime Version – Miyuki Sawashiro / Minami Takahashi
The 26 years old main character. Originally from Hiroshima she works as an office lady in Tokyo.
Miura (Miura)
Voice TV Anime Version – ()
The nickname is "Mi-san". A bright and cheerful woman working in the same department as Wakako.
Nakano (Nakano)
Voice TV Anime Version – ()
The nickname is "Hossie". A firm woman who works in the same department as Wakako.
Shiraishi (Shiraishi)
Voice TV Anime Version – ()
A junior man whose Wakako serves as a teaching staff.
Chief Okada
Voice TV Anime Version – ()
Male serving as chief in the department to which Wakako belongs.
Stupid
Voice TV Anime Version – ()
A married man who is one of Wakako's friends.
Hiroki
Voice TV Anime Version – ()
Wakako's relationship.

Media

Manga

Wakakozake by Chie Shinkyu, 24 volumes already published (as of April 20, 2025)

  1. ISBN 978-4-19-980145-7 (May 20, 2013)
  2. ISBN 978-4-19-980178-5 (December 20, 2013)
  3. ISBN 978-4-19-980229-4 (August 20, 2014)
  4. ISBN 978-4-19-980247-8 (December 20, 2014)
  5. ISBN 978-4-04067154-3 (November, 2014) In addition
  6. ISBN 978-4-19-980277-5 (July 18, 2015)
  7. ISBN 978-4-19-980325-3 (January 20, 2016)
  8. ISBN 978-4-19-881090-0 (Anime DVD with 12 episodes (main part: 24 minutes) with 6 volumes limited edition)
  9. ISBN 978-4-19-980353-6 (July 20, 2016)
  10. ISBN 978-4-19-980389-5 (January 20, 2017)
  11. ISBN 978-4-19-980435-9 (August 19, 2017)
  12. ISBN 978-4-19-980477-9 (February 20, 2018)
  13. ISBN 978-4-19-980513-4 (August 20, 2018)
  14. ISBN 978-4-19-980554-7 (February 20, 2019)
  15. ISBN 978-4-19-980586-8 (August 20, 2019)
  16. ISBN 978-4-19-980618-6 (February 20, 2020)
  17. ISBN 978-4-86720-161-9 (August 20, 2020)
  18. ISBN 978-4-86720-199-2 (February 20, 2021)
  19. ISBN 978-4-86720-252-4 (August 20, 2021)
  20. ISBN 978-4-86720-303-3 (February 19, 2022)
  21. ISBN 978-4-86720-404-7 (August 20, 2022)
  22. ISBN 978-4-86720-471-9 (February 20, 2023)
  23. ISBN 978-4-86720-534-1 (August 19, 2023)
  24. ISBN 978-4-86720-619-5 (February 20, 2024)
  25. ISBN 978-4-86720-680-5 (August 20, 2024)
  26. ISBN 978-4-86720-741-3 (February 20, 2025)

Anime

An anime adaptation was broadcast from July 5 to September 20, 2015; it was a short animation of 3 minutes per episode.

Crunchyroll announced in August 2015 that they have the rights to stream it in English.[17]

Japanese TV drama

The live-adaptation of manga series Wakakozake is produced by North Stars Pictures, TV Tokyo and RCC Broadcasting. Released from 2015 to 2019 (hiatus in 2018), the drama series consists of 12 episodes of 30-minutes each. Followed by the announcement from the volume 3 of the manga,[18] which began selling on August 24, 2014, casts was announced in October that same year.[19][20]

Season 1 was released on April 3 until July 30, 2015, Season 2 was released on January 8 until April 1, 2016,[21] Season 3 was released on April 7 until June 23, 2017,[22] and currently, Season 4 was released on January 7 until March 25, 2019. Season 5 was released in April 2020,[11][12] followed by a special aired on December 29–30 that year.[23] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the series took another hiatus in 2021, and Season 6 was aired on January 10, 2022.[24]

Japanese actress Rina Takeda played the titular character Wakako Murasaki on all seasons of the series, alongside recurring casts Yoshihiro Nozoe and Kenta Kamakari. All seasons of the series are broadcast on TV Tokyo and BS Japan respectively. Currently, Crunchyroll broadcast the first two seasons of the series.

Korean TV drama

Cheers to Me (나에게 건배, Naege Geonbae) was the Korean remake of the series, released on South Korea on December 10, 2015, until January 7, 2016, 10 episodes with 25 minutes, original network UMAX Network and O'live.[citation needed]

An ordinary single woman who enjoys cooking and dining alone in the evenings, Ra Yeo Joo is an editor at a publishing house where she's worked for the past ten years, while Lee Jae Yoon works in marketing at the same company. Their relationship is sometimes friendly, sometimes flirty, and sometimes competitive. They have different approaches to food: while she finds healing in food and drink, his goal in life is to live lean and long, until he discovers new pleasures and changes because of her.

Rina Takeda makes a cameo appearance in the show.[25]

Reception

It was ranked 10th in 2014 Recommended comic selected by nationwide writing clerks.[26]

References

  1. ^ The Kitchen Sisters (8 August 2016). "Food Manga: Where Culture, Conflict And Cooking All Collide". NPR. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  2. ^ Orsini, Lauren (April 27, 2020). "8 Soothing Anime To Help You Relax In Quarantine". Forbes. Archived May 29, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  3. ^ "ja:宣伝/コミックゼノン9月号 - ちえぞう王国ブログ". fc2.com. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  4. ^ "ワカコ酒" (in Japanese). Web Comic Zenyon official website. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  5. ^ "ja:ワカコ酒 １" (in Japanese). www.honyaclub.com. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  6. ^ "ja:ワカコ酒 24" (in Japanese). www.honyaclub.com. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  7. ^ "Wakako Zake Manga Gets Live-Action TV Show". Anime News Network. August 24, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  8. ^ "Wakako-zake Late-Night Cuisine Manga Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  9. ^ "Crunchyroll – VIDEO: Miyuki Sawashiro Narrates Latest CM for "Wakako Zake" TV Anime". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Wakako-zake Live-Action Show's 4th Season Premieres in January". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  11. ^ "Wakako-zake Live-Action Series Gets 5th Season in 2020". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  12. ^ "最新情報｜ワカコ酒 Season4：BSテレ東" (in Japanese). BSテレ東. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  13. ^ "Crunchyroll - Crunchyroll Publisher - SPO Entertainment". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  14. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 10, 2019). "Wakako-zake Gets Spinoff Manga About Bar Near Train Station". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  15. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (February 26, 2022). "Wakako-zake Spinoff Manga Ends in 7th Volume". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  16. ^ "ja:ストーリー" [Story] (in Japanese). Wakakozake. Cinemart. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  17. ^ https://otakuusamagazine.com/crunchyroll-adds-wakakozake-anime/
  18. ^ "「ワカコ酒」TVドラマ化、女のイキなひとり酒 - コミックナタリー" (in Japanese). Natasha Inc.. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  19. ^ "ドラマ「ワカコ酒」主演は武田梨奈、1月開始 - コミックナタリー" (in Japanese). Natasha Inc.. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  20. ^ "ドラマ「ワカコ酒」地上波放送も決定、4月よりテレビ東京で - コミックナタリー" (in Japanese). Natasha Inc.. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  21. ^ "Wakako-zake Manga Gets 3rd Live-Action Series in April". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  22. ^ "Live-Action Wakako-zake Show About Sake-Loving Woman Gets 4th Season". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  23. ^ "Live-Action Wakako-zake Series Gets 1st Special on December 29, 30". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
  24. ^ "Live-Action Wakako-zake Series Gets 6th Season in January". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
  25. ^ https://www.cinemacafe.net/article/2015/12/08/36285.html
  26. ^ "ja:オンライン書店Honya Club com:発表！全国書店員が選んだおすすめコミック2014" (in Japanese). www.honyaclub.com. Retrieved 2017-07-24.