The official X (formerly Twitter) account for Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko 2nd Stage ((Ayaka-chan wa Hiroko-senpai ni Koishiteru 2nd Stage), the sequel live-action series adaptation of Sal Jiang’s office girls-love manga Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko (Ayaka-chan wa Hiroko-senpai ni Koishiteru), revealed five more cast members on Thursday. Their characters are unique to the live-action version and did not appear in the original manga.
©彩香ちゃんは弘子先輩に恋してる2nd Stage」製作委員会・MBS
The newly announced cast members are (image above from top left to bottom right):
Sayuri Matsumura as Anri, a mysterious employee of a major advertising company in Tokyo who meets Hiroko by chance.
Hiroki Nanami as Jun, a legend in the lesbian world, rumored to make anyone who lay their eyes on her fall in love
Hohomi Nasu as Misato Ebina, Ayaka’s junior at work
Ema Kurata as Tsumugi Igari, Hiroko’s niece
Riria Kojima as Keiko Igari, Tsumugi’s mother and Hiroko’s younger sister
© 彩香ちゃんは弘子先輩に恋してる2nd Stage」製作委員会・MBS
The sequel series will premiere on MBS and TV Kanagawa on June 26, on TV Saitama on June 30, on Gunma TV on July 1, on Tochigi TV on July 2, and on Chiba TV on July 3. The series will have six episodes.
Shiho Katō and Kanna Mori return as Ayaka Usagida and Hiroko Kanō, respectively.
Yūka Eda will direct the first three episodes of the series, while Yūho Ishibashi is directing the latter three episodes. Ayumi Shimo is returning to pen the scripts.
The first series premiered in Japan in July 2024.
NTT Solmare Corp’s MangaPlaza digital service publishes the manga in English. The company describes the story:
Soft and bubbly office lady Ayaka is madly in love with her senior at work, Hiroko! Two lovestruck coworkers who both think the other is straight totally crush on each other… popular Twitter artist Sal Jiang’s latest office rom-com!
Jiang launched the manga on Futabasha’s Web Comic Action manga website in June 2020, and ended it in March 2023. Futabasha published the manga’s third and final volume in the same month.
Jiang’s Black and White: Tough Love at the Office (Shiro to Kuro: Black & White) manga debuted on Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha’s manga website Comic Ruelle in March 2020, and ended with its third volume in May 2023. Seven Seas licensed the manga in English and published its first compiled book volume in October 2022. The manga’s second volume will ship in October 2024.
Sources: Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko 2nd Stage live-action series’ X/Twitter account, Comic Natalie
