Sexy Tanaka-san (セクシー田中さん, Sekushī Tanaka-san) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hinako Ashihara. It began serialization in Shogakukan's Anekei Petit Comic digital manga magazine in August 2017. A live-action television drama adaptation aired from October to December 2023 on Nippon TV. The series was left unfinished due to Ashihara's death; the last chapter was published in December 2023.

Sexy Tanaka-san
First volume cover
セクシー田中さん
(Sekushī Tanaka-san)
GenreRomantic comedy[1]
Manga
Written byHinako Ashihara
Published byShogakukan
MagazineAnekei Petit Comic
DemographicJosei
Original runAugust 5, 2017December 5, 2023
Volumes7
Television drama
Directed by
  • Ryūichi Inomata
  • Akinori Itō
Written byTomoko Aizawa
Music byMoe Hyūga
Original networkNippon TV
Original run October 22, 2023 December 24, 2023
Episodes10

Media

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Manga

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Written and illustrated by Hinako Ashihara, Sexy Tanaka-san began serialization in Shogakukan's Anekei Petit Comic digital manga magazine on August 5, 2017.[2] Its chapters have been compiled into seven tankōbon volumes as of October 2023.[3]

Volumes

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No. Release date ISBN
1 April 10, 2018[4]978-4-09-870061-5
2 August 9, 2019[5]978-4-09-870560-3
3 October 9, 2020[6]978-4-09-871189-5
4 August 10, 2021[7]978-4-09-871431-5
5 April 8, 2021[8]978-4-09-871650-0
6 February 9, 2023[9]978-4-09-872020-0
7 October 10, 2023[3]978-4-09-872451-2

Television drama

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A live-action television series was announced on August 1, 2023. The series starred Haruka Kinami as Kyōko Tanaka and Meru Nukumi as Akari, and was directed by Ryūichi Inomata and Akinori Itō, with scripts by Tomoko Aizawa. It aired on NTV from October 22 to December 24, 2023.[10][11][12][13] The theme song "Dress Code" is produced by Imase and performed by Le Sserafim.[14]

Controversies

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On January 26, 2024, Ashihara, the creator of the original manga, wrote on her blog stating that NTV did not uphold their condition of keeping the television drama adaptation faithful to the manga, citing several scenes that were cut and changes in characterization. While Ashihara was unable to speak with Aizawa and the directors personally, the first seven episodes followed the manga's plot while she wrote the scripts for the final two episodes after the proposed ending for the drama was changed. Ashihara later deleted the blog post. Following her death on January 29, NTV released a statement the same day saying that they followed protocol by consulting with her and that she approved the script.[15][16][17] NTV later apologized and announced that it would conduct an internal investigation into the matter. The results of that investigation were released in June, concluding that due to miscommunication between Shogakukan and NTV, none of Ashihara's conditions for adaptation faithfulness and script rewrites were conveyed to the production staff at NTV.[18] In July, NTV issued new guidelines for live-action productions, internal communications, and human resources to address the issues found during the investigation.[19]

Episodes

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No.TitleOriginal air dateJapan viewership rating (Kanto region) [20]
1"Tanaka: Ordinary Office Lady By Day, Belly Dancer By Night"
Transliteration: "Hiru wa Jimi na OL, Yoru wa Berī Dansā Tanaka-san" (Japanese: 昼は地味なOL、夜はベリーダンサー田中さん)
October 22, 2023 (2023-10-22)7.2%
2"Akari's revenge Plan! A Hammer of Anger Towards an Ignorant, Terrible Man!"
Transliteration: "Akari no Fukushū Keikaku! Mushinkei na Kuzu Otoko ni Ikari no Tettsui!" (Japanese: 朱里の復讐計画! 無神経なクズ男に怒りの鉄槌!)
October 29, 2023 (2023-10-29)5.8%

Reception

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The series won the grand prize at the 9th An An Manga Award in 2018.[1] The series was ranked sixteenth in Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2022 list of best manga for female readers.[21] The series was ranked ninth at the 1st "Late Night Manga Award" hosted by Bungeishunjū's Crea magazine.[22]

The series has over 1 million copies in circulation as of August 2023.[23]

References

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  1. ^ a b 第9回ananマンガ大賞は芦原妃名子「セクシー田中さん」秘密の顔を持つアラフォーOL. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). December 26, 2018. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  2. ^ Petit Comic [@petitcomic] (August 5, 2017). 姉プチ9の発売日です。待望!の芦原妃名子先生新連載「セクシー田中さん」スタートです! ほのかなエロス漂う、北川みゆき先生の表紙が目印です♡ (Tweet). Retrieved September 14, 2023 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b セクシー田中さん 7 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  4. ^ セクシー田中さん 1 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  5. ^ セクシー田中さん 2 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  6. ^ セクシー田中さん 3 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  7. ^ セクシー田中さん 4 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  8. ^ セクシー田中さん 5 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  9. ^ セクシー田中さん 6 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  10. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 1, 2023). "Hinako Ashihara's Sexy Tanaka-san Manga Gets Live-Action Series in October". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  11. ^ Mateo, Alex (August 17, 2023). "Live-Action Sexy Tanaka-san Series Casts Meru Nukumi". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  12. ^ 「セクシー田中さん」木南晴夏&生見愛瑠 クランクイン!初回放送は10/22(日)【コメントあり】. Nippon TV (in Japanese). September 6, 2023. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  13. ^ 「セクシー田中さん」今夜最終回!三好(安田顕)のキスが受け入れられず混乱する田中さん(木南晴夏) 一歩踏み出した先に待ち受ける未来とは. Nippon TV (in Japanese). December 24, 2023. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  14. ^ Tai, Anita (October 11, 2023). "Live-Action Sexy Tanaka-san TV Series Reveals Theme Song By LE SSERAFIM, imase". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  15. ^ "漫画「セクシー田中さん」作者、実写ドラマ版制作陣とのトラブル明かした一連のポスト削除し謝罪". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). January 28, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  16. ^ "漫画家・芦原妃名子さん死去 作品ドラマ化、脚本巡りトラブルか". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). January 29, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  17. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 29, 2024). "Sexy Tanaka-san, Sand Chronicles Manga Creator Hinako Ashihara Dies in Apparent Suicide". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  18. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 2, 2024). "NTV Reveals Results of Investigation Into Sexy Tanaka-san Live-Action Series After Hinako Ashihara's Death". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  19. ^ Tai, Anita (July 23, 2024). "NTV Reveals New Guidelines for Live-Action Productions After Death of Manga Creator Hinako Ashihara". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  20. ^ "木南晴夏「セクシー田中さん」最終話5・6% 自分の気持ちがわからなくなった田中さん" [Haruka Kinami's Sexy Tanaka-san gets 5.6% rating on final episode: Tanaka-san becomes lost on her own feelings] (in Japanese). December 25, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  21. ^ Mateo, Alex (December 29, 2021). "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Editors Unveil 2022 Rankings". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  22. ^ CREA初のマンガ大賞「夜ふかしマンガ大賞」発表、1位は冬野梅子「まじめな会社員」. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. September 7, 2022. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  23. ^ 100万部突破『セクシー田中さん』木南晴夏の主演で連ドラ ベリーダンスに挑戦「目指すは”セクシー木南さん”」 (in Japanese). Chunichi Shimbun. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
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