Popular children’s book “The Young Innkeeper is a Grade Schooler!” is getting an anime adaptation, premiering this April 8, 2018 on TV Tokyo and five other local channels.
The cast includes:
Seiran Kobayashi as the protagonist, Oriko “Okko” Seki
Satsumi Mitsuda as the ghost “Uribo” / Makoto Tachiuri
Nana Mizuki as Okko’s rival, Matsuki Akino
Youko Asagami as Okko’s grandmother, Mineko Seki
Teiyu Ichiryusai as Etsuko Tajima
Masaki Terasoma as Kounosuke Minoda
Etsuko Kozakura as Suzuki
Mitsuyuki Masuhara, from Ace of Diamond and Kobato, and Azuma Tani, of Haiyoru! Nyaru-Ani, will be directing the anime. MADHOUSE will be responsible for the animation, and Michiko Yokote of Genshiken and RIN-NE will deal with the scriptwriting. Tower of Druaga‘s Akiko Asaki did the character designs.
Waka Okami wa Shogakusei tells the story of grade schooler Okko who, after losing her parents in an accident, moves with her grandmother in an onsen “Haru no Ya” and begins training as an innkeeper. She gains friendship with the ghosts of the inn and gradually learns the ropes with enough training.
Hiriko Reijou wrote the books, with Asami as the artist, and launched it in 2003 under Kodansha’s Aoi Tori Bunko. It has 20 volumes and has sold more than 3 million copies in print. A manga adaptation was also made by Eiko Ouchi under Kodansha’s Nakayoshi magazine, with seven compiled volumes collected.
