“Ya Boy Kongming! is a manga series created by Yuto Yotsuba and illustrated by Ryō Ogawa. It was serialized on Kodansha’s Comic Days website from December 2019 to November 2021 before moving to Weekly Young Magazine. With 15 tankōbon volumes released as of October 2023, the story is set in Shibuya, Tokyo, focusing on Zhuge Kongming, a character transported from ancient China to modern Japan. Kongming employs military tactics to help his newfound friend, Eiko Tsukimi, become a music sensation. P.A. Works produced an anime adaptation, which was streamed from March to June 2022 and aired on television from April to June the same year. The series is available for streaming on Sentai Filmworks’ Hidive platform outside of Japan.
Additionally, a live-action television drama aired on Fuji TV’s Shinsui 10 Drama programming block from September to November 2023.”
CHARACTERS
- Eiko Tsukimi, voiced by Kaede Hondo with 96Neko as her singing voice in Japanese and portrayed by Moka Kamishiraishi in the drama and Haruki Iwata in the stage play, is a young aspiring singer-songwriter who hails from Kyoto. Her father’s departure to pursue a musical career in the United States led to strained relations with her mother, and she found solace in music after a chance encounter with American singer Maria Diesel. Despite facing challenges, she works at the BB Lounge and later becomes the main singer of “Fourth Kingdom” with the support of Zhuge Kongming.
- Zhuge Kongming, voiced by Ryōtarō Okiayu in Japanese and portrayed by Osamu Mukai in the drama and Ray Fujita in the stage play, is a brilliant strategist from ancient China reincarnated in modern-day Shibuya. Impressed by Eiko’s singing, he becomes her strategist to help her achieve her dream of becoming a renowned singer. With his intellect and adaptability, Kongming plays a crucial role in establishing “Fourth Kingdom” alongside Eiko.
- Kabetaijin, also known as Taijin Kawabe, voiced by Shōya Chiba in Japanese and portrayed by Ryubi Miyase in the drama and Fumiya Takao in the stage play, is a former rapper who regains his passion for music after encountering Eiko and Kongming. Inspired by their performances, he decides to make a comeback and joins forces with Eiko and her friends.
- Nanami Kuon, voiced by Hibiku Yamamura in Japanese and portrayed by Rikako Yagi in the drama and Moeka Koizumi in the stage play, is the vocalist and bassist of the band Azalea. Moved by Eiko and Kabetaijin’s performances, she rediscovers her passion for music and reinterprets her songs, leading to a resurgence in her band’s popularity.
- Owner Kobayashi, voiced by Jun Fukushima in Japanese and portrayed by Mirai Moriyama in the drama and Takeshi Nadagi in the stage play, is the owner of the BB Lounge and an avid Three Kingdoms enthusiast. Impressed by Kongming’s intellect, he hires him as a receptionist and bartender. He supports Eiko and her friends in their musical endeavors and encourages them to pursue their dreams.
STORYLINE
The renowned military tactician Zhuge Kongming, after meeting his fate in the Battle of Wuzhang Plains in 234, expresses a dying wish for a peaceful existence devoid of conflict. In an unexpected turn of events, he finds himself reborn in modern Japan, manifesting in his youthful form amidst a vibrant Halloween costume party in Tokyo’s bustling club district. Embraced by the revelers of Shibuya, known colloquially as “Paripi,” Kongming’s path intersects with that of Eiko Tsukimi, a budding songstress, marking the commencement of his second life journey.
Transported to a world far removed from the battlegrounds of ancient China, Kongming navigates the energetic nightlife of contemporary Tokyo. Encountering Eiko amidst the pulsating atmosphere of a night club, he embarks on a new chapter intertwined with the dreams and aspirations of the party people of Shibuya. This serendipitous meeting with Eiko ignites the beginning of Kongming’s reimagined existence, where the artistry of music and the camaraderie of modern-day revelry pave the way for his unforeseen adventures.
