"Tenchijin" adapted as mobile manga, boys-love style

Oh Japan. This isn't the first time Shun's been involved with a yaoi/BL
type venture either, and I'm sure Shirota's had his fair share.

But yes.

HISTORICAL BOY LOVE! (it's not just for the Greeks anymore.)

Sent to you by saffron via Google Reader: "Tenchijin" adapted as mobile
manga, boys-love style via Tokyograph on 5/10/09
The taiga drama "Tenchijin," which currently airs on Sunday nights on
NHK, is being turned into a manga for mobile phones. This is the second
time that a taiga drama has been adapted as a comic, after "Yoshitsune"
in 2005, but it will be the first distributed in digital form.

However, the manga will have a fairly different feel from the drama
series. With several good-looking actors in the show, including the
star Satoshi Tsumabuki, it was decided that the manga will have
a "boys-love" (BL) flavor, with the main character of Naoe Kanetsugu
(played by Tsumabuki in the drama) more closely resembling a boy from a
shoujo manga. The artist in charge is Kairi Shimotsuki, who has
previously done both BL titles and mainstream titles, including the
comic adaptation of the popular "Sengoku Basara" video game series.

The "Tenchijin" manga is being aimed at women in their teens and
twenties. Sony Digital Entertainment is handling production and
distribution, making installments available on the Zenryoku Shoten site
at a price of 50 yen per story (about 12-14 pages). Distribution will
begin on May 27.

There will be three arcs, each focusing on a different pairing with
Kanetsugu. The first deals with Uesugi Kagekatsu (Kazuki Kitamura in
the drama), while the subsequent two involve Ishida Mitsunari (Shun
Oguri) and Sanada Yukimura (Yu Shirota), respectively.

Based on the fan response, there is a possibility that the manga will
later be sold in book form.