Japanese streaming platform U-NEXT has confirmed a new live-action adaptation of Kikuko Kikuya’s boys-love (BL) manga Suiyōbi, Watashi no Otto ni Dakarete Kudasai — internationally known as Wednesday, Please Embrace My Husband. The announcement marks another milestone in the ongoing trend of BL manga being adapted for screens, and it signals U-NEXT’s continued investment in original drama projects born from digital-first comics.
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Official Announcement: What We Know
U-NEXT announced on January 26 that Kikuko Kikuya’s Suiyōbi, Watashi no Otto ni Dakarete Kudasai will be adapted into a live-action series. The streaming service has confirmed the project and stated that further details — including cast, director, episode count, and release window — will be revealed at a later date. For readers who want to check the original press information, U-NEXT published their notice on the official site (link below).
About the Manga: Story and Appeal
Kikuya launched the manga on the U-NEXT app in 2024, and U-NEXT digitally published the first compiled volume in November 2024; the third volume was released on January 1. The title follows the emotional and romantic beats typical of contemporary BL, blending intimate character development with moments of humor and drama. Its popularity on the U-NEXT app speaks to the platform’s strength as both a publisher and a content incubator for screen adaptations.
What Makes the Series Adaptable?
The manga’s character-driven storytelling and focused cast make it well-suited for a live-action format. BL adaptations often thrive when they keep the emotional core and chemistry intact — qualities that Suiyōbi exhibits in its serialized chapters. Adapting this story gives producers room for fleshing out supportive characters and adding subtle real-world context without losing the original tone.
Kikuko Kikuya: A Growing Voice in BL
Kikuko Kikuya isn’t new to readers outside Japan. Digital Manga Publishing has licensed earlier Kikuya works into English, including Entangled Circumstances and Secret Thorns, making her storytelling accessible to Western BL fans. Additionally, Kikuya’s I Started a Dating Agency in a Different World (2023) has been published on Coolmic, showing her range across BL subgenres and fantasy-leaning narratives.
These prior licenses and digital publications indicate a steady international interest in Kikuya’s work — an interest likely to grow with a live-action adaptation that reaches global audiences through streaming.
U-NEXT’s Strategy: From Digital Manga to Drama
U-NEXT has been actively transforming popular digital comics into on-screen dramas. By developing adaptations of titles that already have an engaged reader base on their own platform, they can build immediate interest and fan retention. The Wednesday adaptation fits this pipeline neatly: a manga serialized and published through U-NEXT is now being adapted into one of their flagship dramas.
Why This Matters for BL Fans
Live-action BL adaptations have seen increasing visibility in recent years, both in Japan and overseas. High-quality adaptations can introduce BL themes to wider audiences and provide faithful reinterpretations that honor the source material’s emotional depth. If U-NEXT balances faithful adaptation with strong casting and production values, this series could be another BL hit that brings new viewers to the genre.
Cast, Crew & Expectations: What Fans Are Hoping For
No casting or staffing details have been released yet. Fans will be looking for a few key elements:
- Faithful chemistry between leads that captures the manga’s emotional beats.
- A script that preserves the nuanced character development without over-sanitizing the BL elements.
- Production values that match the intimate tone — good cinematography, soundtrack, and pacing.
Speculation will certainly ramp up as U-NEXT releases more information. International viewers may also watch for subtitles and distribution deals to make the series easy to stream globally.
Release Timeline & Where to Watch
U-NEXT has not announced specific release dates. Given the timeline of manga publication (first volume in November 2024 and the third released January 1), a realistic expectation is a 2026 or 2027 release for the live-action series, depending on production schedules. The series will likely premiere on U-NEXT first, with potential licensing to other international platforms depending on distribution agreements.
For background reading on Kikuya’s earlier works and English releases, see Digital Manga Publishing and Coolmic (links included below):
Digital Manga Publishing | Coolmic
How This Fits Into the Broader BL Adaptation Trend
The adaptation follows a steady wave of BL titles making the jump to live-action and television, reinforcing the genre’s mainstream appeal. Platforms like U-NEXT are capitalizing on dedicated fanbases built through digital publication, social media buzz, and niche fandom communities. When done respectfully, these adaptations can elevate both the author’s profile and the visibility of BL stories beyond the manga readership.
Potential Challenges
Adapting sensitive romantic material requires care. There is a balance to strike between fidelity to the source and the realities of live-action storytelling. Fans often worry about casting choices, censorship, and whether screen adaptations will dilute the intimacy that makes BL special. Strong creative leadership and respect for the source material will be crucial to delivering a successful series.
Final thoughts
U-NEXT’s announcement of a live-action adaptation of Suiyōbi, Watashi no Otto ni Dakarete Kudasai is an exciting development for BL fans and followers of Kikuko Kikuya’s work. With the manga already gaining momentum on U-NEXT’s platform, the adaptation has potential to reach a wider audience and elevate the source material in satisfying ways. As details emerge about casting and the production team, expectations will grow — and so will the debate among fans about how best to translate intimate manga moments to the screen. For now, the news is a promising sign that BL narratives continue to find new platforms and new formats to thrive.
