It’s been revealed that NHK’s serialized morning drama “Tora ni Tsubasa,” starring Sairi Ito, will return as a theatrical film opening January 15, 2027. The opening theme continues from the TV series with Kenshi Yonezu’s “Sayonara Mata Itsuka!,” and a trailer featuring footage from the film itself was unveiled for the first time. It’s said to be the first time in the 50-plus-year history of NHK’s morning dramas that a film adaptation has kept its original lead cast. On 5ch, while some comments evoked Tiger Mask and others welcomed the returning theme song, skeptical voices about the film’s box-office prospects stood out too, with comments like “I don’t remember it being popular enough for a movie” and “the only hit NHK-produced movie has been the Kishibe Rohan one.”
9/16/2026
The opening theme for “Tora ni Tsubasa the Movie” (starring Sairi Ito, opening January 15, 2027) has been decided as Kenshi Yonezu’s “Sayonara Mata Itsuka!,” continuing on from the TV series. Alongside this, a trailer featuring footage from the film itself was unveiled for the first time.
The film is a theatrical adaptation of NHK’s serialized morning drama “Tora ni Tsubasa,” which aired in 2024. In the TV series, protagonist Tomoko (played by Ito) — modeled after Yoshiko Mibuchi, Japan’s first female lawyer who later became the country’s first female judge and first female chief judge — blazed a trail through uncharted territory alongside like-minded women, striking a chord with viewers and captivating all of Japan. This film reunites the TV series’ director Yoshio Nagikawa, screenwriter Erika Yoshida, composer Yuta Mori, and star Ito. Among NHK’s 50-plus years of morning dramas, this marks the first time a film adaptation has kept its original lead cast. The movie depicts new episodes from Tomoko’s days at Meiritsu University’s women’s division that the drama couldn’t fully cover, along with her “final case” tying into the present day, spanning eras on a grand scale.
Source: press.moviewalker.jp / Original article here
Same, that's what I pictured too
Yeah, when you say "Tora ni Tsubasa" (tiger with wings), that's exactly what comes to mind
It just wouldn't feel right without that song
Overall it felt kind of half-baked
Everyone's got that aging makeup on
Couldn't they have done something about that
That's where Naoto Date jumps off and becomes Tiger Mask
Kept watching out of habit till the end, but I don't get why they'd even make a movie out of it
It's gonna flop, getting crushed by VIVANT
I get that lol
But I thought the harsh sound and terrible lyrics were bad, then it turned out that vibe actually matched the show's style perfectly — kind of genius honestly (lol)
Background and Talking Points
“Tora ni Tsubasa the Movie” is a theatrical adaptation of the 2024 serialized morning drama modeled after Yoshiko Mibuchi, with the director, screenwriter, composer, and lead actor all returning — making it the first time in NHK morning drama history that a film adaptation has kept its original lead cast. NHK-produced films have rarely fared well at the box office, with “Kishibe Rohan Goes to the Louvre” reportedly the only one to top 1 billion yen. Opinions on the thread split mainly over whether a sequel was even necessary — whether the drama had enough drawing power to justify a theatrical release — with skepticism dominating. That said, a fair number of comments compared it to Tiger Mask or welcomed Kenshi Yonezu’s return as theme song artist. There were also many combative posts about the original drama’s portrayal and perceived ideological leanings, but since these are hard to verify and include unsubstantiated claims about individuals and groups, this article does not cover them.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[Movie] Trailer Released for “Tora ni Tsubasa the Movie” — Opening Theme Is Kenshi Yonezu’s “Sayonara Mata Itsuka!”.”
