Cutie Honey BELOVED ENEMY , the latest adaptation of Go Nagai's classic manga, is scheduled to debut in one week. The 15-episode live drama, which will stream exclusively on the DMM Short app, introduced four characters in advance — three who will be familiar to long-time Cutie Honey fans, and one who is new but looks similar to an old foe. Hyoko Kuro Hyoko Kuro (transformed) As previously announced, model and internet personality Natsuki Abe plays Honey Kisaragi. Facing off against her will be gravure idol Rina Hashimoto, playing a new villain named Hyoko Kuro. She is described as a "ruthless female president," and has taken over Honey's father's company in a bid for world domination. While she my be a new character, her transformation is a dead ringer for long-time Cutie Honey foe Sister Jill. RELATED: Cutie Honey Returns in Short Live-Action Series on November 25 Yui Kitamura as Natsuko Aki Genta Shimizu as Seiji Hayami Haruka Katayama as Miharu Tsuneni Three characters from the original manga (and its many adaptations) return alongside Honey. Yui Kitamura plays Honey's best friend Natsuko Aki. In this iteration, she infiltrates Kisaragi Technology after its takeover and acts as support. Genta Shimizu appears as Seiji Hayami, a journalist who helps Honey from the sidelines. And Haruka Katayama will play Miharu Tsuneni — a nightmarish teacher in the original manga and anime, here reimagined as an abusive sales manager at Kisaragi Tech. RELATED: Cutie Honey 50th Anniversary Tribute Art Book Released Key visual The series premieres November 25 . Cutie Honey BELOVED ENEMY marks the manga's fourth live-action adaptation, following Hideaki Anno's 2004 live-action film, the 2007 tokusatsu TV series Cutie Honey: The Live and the 2016 cyberpunk reimagining Cutie Honey: Tears . The manga has also received multiple anime, stage and video game adaptations. The series is often credited as a major influence on the magical girl genre, cementing the concept of a dedicated "battle costume" for transforming heroines. Seven Seas Entertainment licenses Go Nagai's original manga, describing it thus: Beautiful but unassuming schoolgirl Kisaragi Honey has a secret–she’s actually an android! Through her father’s amazing technology, she can transform into the unstoppable Cutie Honey. It’s a power that the nefarious criminal organization known as Panther Claw will stop at nothing to possess, even if it means destroying that which Honey loves the most. Experience the original saga of Japan’s iconic super-heroine by Go Nagai, the author of Devilman! Source: Comic Natalie
