Crunchyroll’s Surprise Hit Anime of 2026 Confirms Live-Action Adaptation

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2026 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for anime! We’re already seeing the return of popular series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and Fire Force, with many more exciting shows on the way. The Winter 2026 season also brought some great new anime, including Sentenced to Be a Hero and Journal the Witch. As the leading anime streaming service, Crunchyroll continues to add dozens of new series each season, and this winter is no different. One standout new hit is In the Clear Moonlit Dusk, a romantic drama adapted from a manga by Mika Yamamori.

The popular manga series began in 2020 and is ongoing, with the anime adaptation premiering in January. A live-action film is planned for release in Fall 2026. Kentarō Takemura, a director known for Japanese dramas and films like Trillion Game and Our Secret Diary, will direct. Shunsuke Michieda and Seira Anzai will play the lead roles of Kohaku Ichimura and Yoi Takiguchi. Although a trailer isn’t available yet, the official website has released a first look at the main characters.

What Is The Plot of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk?

The story follows Yoi Takiguchi, a high school girl who’s incredibly popular with the girls at her school because of her striking, almost gender-neutral looks. She’s nicknamed ‘the prince’ due to her good looks, tall stature, deep voice, and laid-back personality. Beyond her appearance, Yoi is also strong and always willing to help others, so people often depend on her. Despite receiving gifts from her many admirers, she doesn’t seem to care much about her popularity.

Even though she longs for a normal life, she’s constantly recognized as a prince and treated with admiration because of it. Everything changes when she meets Kohaku Ichimura, another popular student who mistakenly believes she’s a boy and compliments her appearance. Annoyed by this misunderstanding, she initially wants to avoid Kohaku, who seems to act without thinking.

Kohaku and Yoi first connect during a chaotic moment at a convenience store, where he surprisingly gives her a sincere compliment and starts to treat her with the special attention she’s always desired. Despite Yoi’s attempts to stay composed, she finds herself falling for Kohaku. The anime series premiered in January 2026 and currently has six episodes available. The first season will consist of 12 episodes, and the manga continues to be released, with 10 volumes published so far.

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2026-02-21 04:40