Catch Aimer's Theme Song in Ōoku: The Inner Chambers S2, In Oct 3rd

(Last Updated On: August 30, 2023)

On Tuesday, Aimer, the renowned singer, was announced on the official website to perform the theme song “Shiroiro Kagerō” (White Mayfly) for the “Bakumatsu Arc” within the new live-action series based on Fumi Yoshinaga’s Ōoku: The Inner Chambers manga. NHK is set to premiere the second season on October 3 at 10:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. EDT), marking the first screen adaptation of the manga’s “Cure Arc” and “Bakumatsu Arc.”

Directorial duties for the second season are shared by Taku Ōhara, Sō Suenaga, Hideaki Kawano, and Takafumi Kimura. Returning from the first season, scriptwriting is helmed by Yoshiko Morishita (known for live-action JIN).

The NHK debut of the 10-episode first season took place on January 10, focusing primarily on the Iemitsu, Tsunayoshi, Yoshimune, and Imperial Restoration arcs. Kohta Yamamoto, acclaimed for compositions in works like Attack on Titan The Final Season and Kingdom, handled the music composition, while Lilas Ikuta contributed the captivating theme song “Tanpopo” (Dandelion).

Viz Media holds the rights to the English publication of the manga, and its storyline unfolds in an Edo period Japan plagued by a peculiar ailment known as the Red Pox, drastically reducing the male populace by seventy-five percent.

This shift prompts women to assume traditionally male roles, even that of the Shogun. The captivating tale involves the safeguarding of men, valued for their life-sustaining abilities, with the most exquisite males serving in the Shogun’s Inner Chamber.

Yoshinaga’s manga journey commenced in 2004 within Hakusensha’s Melody magazine and concluded in December 2020. The 19th and ultimate volume was published by Hakusensha in February 2021, followed by Viz Media’s English edition in March 2022.

The manga boasts accolades such as the 2009 James Tiptree, Jr. Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in the same year. Additionally, it secured recognitions like the 1st anan Manga Prize, the 56th Shogakukan Manga Prize in the shōjo category, the 5th Sense of Gender Prize’s Special Award, and most recently, the Grand Prize in the 42nd Nihon SF Taishō Awards.

Prior adaptations include a live-action film in 2010, a 2012 live-action TV series titled Ōoku: Arikoto・Iemitsu Hen, and a second film titled Ōoku: Eien – Emonnosuke・Tsunayoshi Hen in the same year. Furthermore, an anime adaptation premiered on Netflix on June 29, adding to the manga’s multifaceted influence.