A live-action film adaptation of Yuu Saiki's school romance manga Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad ( Yamaguchi-kun wa Warukunai in Japan) is set to release in Japan on June 5, 2026. Kyohei Takahashi, a 25-year-old member of Japanese idol group Naniwa Danshi, is cast as the title role, Asuka Yamaguchi. And Kentaro Moriya, known for his directorial works for the Kamen Teacher series, serves as director. The film's official website and X (formerly Twitter) opened today, releasing a teaser trailer and visual. Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad Teaser Trailer Teaser visual The original manga author Saiki shared the following comment: At first, I was worried whether my manga would work as source material for the film. But seeing the director and producer talk about “Yamaguchi-kun” with such sincerity and genuine enthusiasm, my anxiety gradually turned to anticipation. And when Kyohei Takahashi-kun, who is from Kansai, was cast as Yamaguchi-kun, that anticipation became absolute certainty. After watching the preview, I honestly found it really enjoyable! The young actors came together and each approached their roles with such sincerity, creating a natural sense of youthfulness that lingered long after the screening ended. I was thrilled to see such meticulous attention to detail right up until the end credits! Now I hope many people will see “Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad,” created by the wonderful staff and cast members. Please come to the theater! Saiki's original Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad manga has been serialized in Kodansha's shojo manga magazine Bessatsu Friend since September 2019, printing over 2.1 million copies. The series' latest 12th collected volume is set to release in Japan on December 12, 2025. Kodansha USA, which is releasing an English edition of the manga, describes the synopsis as such: Shy Satsuki Shinohara’s plan for a big high school debut are almost ruined by a pervert on the train, but she’s saved by none other than the “gangster” student in her class, Yamaguchi-kun. He’s already got a bad rap with the other students, and though Satsuki tries to approach him, he seems to always weasel out of her grasp. But she’s not one to let a challenge daunt her, and she’s out to prove that Yamaguchi-kun is so much more than he’s cracked up to be. Source: " Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad" live-action film official website / X (formerly Twitter)
