"Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem" Achieves U-NEXT's Largest-Ever Initial Buzz, Igniting Enthusiasm Across Japan! Dominates U-NEXT Rankings! Special Drama "Edo Youth Arc" and Drama Series "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc" Now Exclusively Streaming!
The drama "Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem," a joint project by TBS and U-NEXT, has been broadcast on terrestrial television and exclusively streamed, achieving U-NEXT's largest-ever initial engagement. It dominated the top two spots in domestic drama rankings, with its star-studded cast and related content generating immense excitement across Japan.
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- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 02:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 01:06
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THE SEVEN Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director/CEO: Katsuhiro Setoguchi, hereinafter "THE SEVEN"), TBS Television, Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President: Masamine Ryuuho, hereinafter "TBS"), and U-NEXT Co., Ltd. (Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President: Tenshin Tsutsumi, hereinafter "U-NEXT") have collaborated on the "TBS × U-NEXT × THE SEVEN Global Project" drama "Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem." The special drama "Edo Youth Arc" was broadcast for two consecutive nights on March 26th (Thursday) and 27th (Friday) on TBS terrestrial television, with streaming available on U-NEXT after each night's broadcast. Furthermore, the subsequent drama series "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc" is exclusively distributed on U-NEXT, with new episodes updated every Friday.
This work is the first live-action adaptation of the popular comic "Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem," known for its powerful artistic touch and overwhelming drawing skills by Eiji Hashimoto (manga artist) and original story by Shinya Umemura (also known for "Record of Ragnarok"). Set in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period, it depicts the fierce yet passionate lives of the samurai of the strongest samurai group, the Shinsengumi, with spectacular action and a bold interpretation based on historical facts.
Yuki Yamada plays the protagonist Toshizo Hijikata, and other Shinsengumi samurai are portrayed by a group of young, talented actors with strong individuality and skill, including Nobuyuki Suzuki, Aoi Nakamura, Kanata Hosoda, Shuhei Uesugi, Kisetsu Fujiwara, Yosuke Sugino, Shuntaro Yanagi, Akito Miyazaki, and Hihi Iwanaga. Furthermore, Kento Nakajima plays Izō Okada, Hijikata's arch-rival and ally, also known as "Hitokiri Izō." Jun Matsumoto plays Katamori Matsudaira, the legendary lord of the Aizu Domain who was the founder of the Shinsengumi, and Go Ayano plays Kamo Serizawa, the "strongest and most vicious rival" who stands against Hijikata and others, bringing together an all-star cast.
After the two-night terrestrial broadcast of the special drama "Edo Youth Arc" on TBS on March 26th and 27th, the drama series "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc," which depicts the events that follow, began its exclusive distribution on U-NEXT. It immediately showed the largest initial momentum in U-NEXT's history, marking a historic blockbuster start.
U-NEXT Rankings Dominated by Domestic Dramas in 1st and 2nd Place!
"Chiruran" Takes Over, with Related Programs Also Ranking High!
Immediately after the terrestrial broadcast ended on March 27th, the first episode of the U-NEXT original "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc," which depicts the subsequent events of Hijikata and the Shinsengumi, began streaming. As the overwhelming excitement from watching on TV had not yet subsided, viewers immediately flocked to U-NEXT. This surge recorded the largest movement ever for a domestic drama genre on U-NEXT. The fervor began right after the distribution started, and on March 28th, the "Edo Youth Arc" and "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc" impressively dominated the 1st and 2nd spots in U-NEXT's daily domestic drama rankings.
What's even more surprising is that not only the main series but also "Chiruran-related content" such as 'SPECIAL NAVIGATION,' 'PERFECT NAVIGATION,' and 'Thorough Guide' successively entered the top rankings. Many viewers are not just watching the main story but are thoroughly enjoying the related content that introduces the cast's thoughts and behind-the-scenes footage, immersing themselves deeply in the world of "Chiruran."
The seamless coordination from terrestrial broadcasting to U-NEXT's original distribution, and the rich array of related programs—everything is interconnected, creating a major "Chiruran" phenomenon that is now beginning to sweep across Japan, transcending the boundaries of a single drama.
Why are so many people so enthusiastic about "Chiruran"?
Whether you've already seen it on terrestrial TV or are watching it for the first time.
This work is the first live-action adaptation of the popular comic "Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem," known for its powerful artistic touch and overwhelming drawing skills by Eiji Hashimoto (manga artist) and original story by Shinya Umemura (also known for "Record of Ragnarok"). Set in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period, it depicts the fierce yet passionate lives of the samurai of the strongest samurai group, the Shinsengumi, with spectacular action and a bold interpretation based on historical facts.
Yuki Yamada plays the protagonist Toshizo Hijikata, and other Shinsengumi samurai are portrayed by a group of young, talented actors with strong individuality and skill, including Nobuyuki Suzuki, Aoi Nakamura, Kanata Hosoda, Shuhei Uesugi, Kisetsu Fujiwara, Yosuke Sugino, Shuntaro Yanagi, Akito Miyazaki, and Hihi Iwanaga. Furthermore, Kento Nakajima plays Izō Okada, Hijikata's arch-rival and ally, also known as "Hitokiri Izō." Jun Matsumoto plays Katamori Matsudaira, the legendary lord of the Aizu Domain who was the founder of the Shinsengumi, and Go Ayano plays Kamo Serizawa, the "strongest and most vicious rival" who stands against Hijikata and others, bringing together an all-star cast.
After the two-night terrestrial broadcast of the special drama "Edo Youth Arc" on TBS on March 26th and 27th, the drama series "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc," which depicts the events that follow, began its exclusive distribution on U-NEXT. It immediately showed the largest initial momentum in U-NEXT's history, marking a historic blockbuster start.
U-NEXT Rankings Dominated by Domestic Dramas in 1st and 2nd Place!
"Chiruran" Takes Over, with Related Programs Also Ranking High!
Immediately after the terrestrial broadcast ended on March 27th, the first episode of the U-NEXT original "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc," which depicts the subsequent events of Hijikata and the Shinsengumi, began streaming. As the overwhelming excitement from watching on TV had not yet subsided, viewers immediately flocked to U-NEXT. This surge recorded the largest movement ever for a domestic drama genre on U-NEXT. The fervor began right after the distribution started, and on March 28th, the "Edo Youth Arc" and "Kyoto Decisive Battle Arc" impressively dominated the 1st and 2nd spots in U-NEXT's daily domestic drama rankings.
What's even more surprising is that not only the main series but also "Chiruran-related content" such as 'SPECIAL NAVIGATION,' 'PERFECT NAVIGATION,' and 'Thorough Guide' successively entered the top rankings. Many viewers are not just watching the main story but are thoroughly enjoying the related content that introduces the cast's thoughts and behind-the-scenes footage, immersing themselves deeply in the world of "Chiruran."
The seamless coordination from terrestrial broadcasting to U-NEXT's original distribution, and the rich array of related programs—everything is interconnected, creating a major "Chiruran" phenomenon that is now beginning to sweep across Japan, transcending the boundaries of a single drama.
Why are so many people so enthusiastic about "Chiruran"?
Whether you've already seen it on terrestrial TV or are watching it for the first time.