The upcoming anime Chūhai Lips: Canned Flavor of Married Women has announced the addition of Yuka Nukui to its cast, bringing another layer of intrigue to this anticipated series. Nukui will voice Miki Kanzaki, a character who was two years senior to the protagonist, Tsuyoshi, during his university days and promptly married after graduation. This casting update, revealed recently, has stirred further excitement among fans eager to see how Kanzaki’s character will intertwine with the narrative’s exploration of relationships and mature themes.
Anime Overview
Chūhai Lips: Canned Flavor of Married Women (Japanese: Hitozuma no Kuchibiru wa Kan Chūhai no Aji ga Shite) is adapted from the manga series of the same name, written by Chinjao Musume and illustrated by Tama Nogami. The manga began serialization on Kodansha’s YanMaga Web manga website in February 2021 and has since garnered attention for its unique premise and art style. The anime adaptation is produced by Studio Raiose and is slated to premiere in July 2025.
Story and Themes
The story revolves around Tsuyoshi, a college student with a penchant for strong canned chūhai – a popular Japanese alcoholic beverage made from shōchū and carbonated water. The narrative delves into Tsuyoshi’s encounters and relationships with various married women, each with their own distinct personalities and life situations. This premise allows the series to explore themes of adulthood, relationships, and the complexities of human connection in a somewhat risque and unconventional manner.
Production and Versions
The anime is being produced under WWWave Corporation’s new Deregula label. Notably, there will be two versions of the anime: a “broadcast” version and a “Deregula” version. The Deregula version will be less censored and streamed online, while the broadcast version will air on television networks in Japan. This approach allows the series to cater to different audience preferences and explore more mature content without the constraints of traditional broadcasting standards.
Key Staff and Cast
The anime boasts a talented team of creators and voice actors:
- Director and Series Composition: Hajime Keima
- Character Design: Yoriko Karei
- Art Director: Yutaka Aota
- Sound Director: Fumihiko Odera
- Director of Photography and Editor: Tomohiro Hayashi
- Animation Studio: raiose
The cast includes different voice actors for each version of the anime.
Broadcast Version:
- Tsuyoshi: Takahide Ishii
- Yui Koriyama: Shiho Kawaragi
- Ai Natsuno: Madoka Asahina
Deregula Version:
- Tsuyoshi: Men Kaido
- Yui Koriyama: Miyu Anno
- Ai Natsuno: Kokko Mikazuki
- Miki Kanzaki: Yuka Nukui (Deregula edition is credited to Momono Mogi)
Character Introductions
- Tsuyoshi: The protagonist, a college student with a love for strong canned chūhai, finds himself entangled in relationships with married women. Voiced by Takahide Ishii in the broadcast version and Men Kaido in the Deregula version.
- Yui Koriyama: A married woman who becomes involved with Tsuyoshi. She is voiced by Shiho Kawaragi in the broadcast version and Miyu Anno in the Deregula version.
- Ai Natsuno: A tanned and fashionable “gyaru” (gal) who is also married. She is voiced by Madoka Asahina in the broadcast version and Kokko Mikazuki in the Deregula version.
- Miki Kanzaki: A newly announced character, Miki was two years senior to Tsuyoshi in university and married soon after graduating. Voiced by Yuka Nukui.
Yuka Nukui: A Profile
Yuka Nukui is a Japanese voice actress known for her roles in various anime series. Her addition to the cast of Chūhai Lips brings further talent to the project.
Release Details
The anime is scheduled to premiere in July 2025, but the exact release date has not yet been disclosed.
Reception
The manga series has already achieved considerable success in Japan, with over 1.2 million copies in circulation as of November 2024. The anime adaptation is expected to further expand the series’ reach and introduce it to a wider audience.
