Kujo no Taizai Volume 16 Released: Simultaneous Premiere with Netflix Series!
Today is a historic day for fans of Shohei Manabe, the master of dark and jarring stories. The artist's highly acclaimed manga Kujo no Taizai (Kujo's Deadly Sins) has reached a significant milestone with the release of its 16th volume in Japan. However, the most exciting development is that the series' highly anticipated live-action adaptation has also met audiences on the Netflix platform as of April 2nd. To crown this double celebration, a special promotional event has been launched in bookstores across Japan.
Kujo no Taizai offers a jarring legal drama that navigates the darkest and most ethically gray areas of the legal system. The story revolves around Taiza Kujo, an unconventional lawyer who takes on the most difficult cases that other lawyers are afraid to touch, including outcasts of society and yakuza members. Author Shohei Manabe was previously known for his legendary Ushijima the Loan Shark (Yamikin Ushijima-kun) series, which made a global impact and sold over 23 million copies. In this new work, Manabe questions the boundaries of justice and morality with the motto: "A lawyer has no ideology; their only duty is to defend their client."
In the Netflix series, the lead role is played by the talented Yuya Yagira, who won the "Best Actor" award at the Cannes Film Festival. Yagira is joined by Hokuto Matsumura (member of SixTONES) in the role of the idealistic young lawyer Shinji Karasuma. The director's chair is occupied by Nobuhiro Doi, known for We Made a Beautiful Bouquet. The 10-episode series brings the raw and realistic atmosphere of the manga to the screen by blending it with the underworld of modern Japan. Early reviews suggest that the production remains faithful to the gloomy and thought-provoking tone of the original work.
Serialized in Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine since 2020, the series has already become a modern seinen phenomenon, reaching over 4 million copies sold. As part of the campaign organized in bookstores, special illustration cards and limited-edition gifts are being offered to readers who purchase the new volume. If you enjoy social criticism and legal stories filled with moral dilemmas, Kujo no Taizai should definitely be on your list with both its manga and the new Netflix series.
