"Kitaro" creator's life told in NHK's morning drama

[Tokyograph News]

On Wednesday, NHK announced that its 82nd Asadora will be "Gegege no Nyoubou," based on a 2008 autobiography by Nunoe Mura, the wife of "Gegege no Kitaro" mangaka Shigeru Mizuki. The story revolves around the life of the married couple, told from the perspective of Mura.

In 1961, Nunoe had an omiai with the then-unknown manga artist Shigeru Mura (Mizuki's real name), and the two married shortly after. They lived poorly and overcame many obstacles as Mizuki worked to gain recognition with "Gegege no Kitaro."

The drama will start with Nunoe at 29 years old. The cast has not yet been chosen, though the female lead will be decided this summer.

The last Asadora based on the life of a real person was "Imotako Nankin" in 2006, which was adapted from the autobiography of writer Seiko Tanabe.

"Gegege no Nyoubou" will start on March 29, 2010. The story is also being turned into a theatrical film, directed by Takuji Suzuki. The movie will start filming this fall and will open in the early summer of 2010.

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