Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight
Cover of vol. 1 of the Japanese version, first released on July 13, 2015
午前０時、キスしに来てよ
(Gozen Rei-ji, Kisu Shi ni Kite yo)
GenreComedy,[1] romance[2]
Manga
Written byRin Mikimoto
Published byKodansha
English publisher
ImprintKodansha Comics Bessatsu Friend
MagazineBessatsu Friend
DemographicShōjo
Original runApril 13, 2015 (2015-04-13) – May 13, 2020 (2020-05-13)
Volumes12
Live-action film
Directed byTakehiko Shinjō
Written byHaruka Ōkita
Music bySayuri Hayashi Egnell
StudioShochiku
ReleasedDecember 6, 2019 (2019-12-06)
Runtime115 minutes

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight (Japanese: 午前０時、キスしに来てよ, Hepburn: Gozen Rei-ji, Kisu Shi ni Kite yo, alternatively titled Come Kiss Me at 0:00 AM internationally for the live-action film[3]) is a Japanese manga series by Rin Mikimoto. Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight was serialized in the monthly shōjo manga magazine Bessatsu Friend from April 13, 2015 to May 13, 2020. A live-action film adaptation of the same name was released on December 6, 2019.

Plot

Hinana Hanazawa, a diligent and hard-working honors student, secretly yearns for a fairytale-like romance. One day, popular actor Kaede Ayase comes to film a movie at her high school, in which she is appearing as an extra. Hinana discovers that Kaede's true personality is different from his princely image, but in spite of this, they both fall in love with each other. However, difficulties arise in their relationship due to their different social statuses.

Characters

Hinana Hanazawa (花澤 日奈々, Hanazawa Hinana)
Voiced by: Sora Amamiya (drama CD); portrayed by: Kanna Hashimoto (film)[4]
Kaede Ayase (綾瀬 楓, Ayase Kaede)
Voiced by: Yuki Kaji (drama CD); portrayed by: Ryota Katayose (film)[4]
Akira Hamabe (浜辺 彰, Hamabe Akira)
Voiced by: Junya Enoki (drama CD); Portrayed by: Gordon Maeda (film)[4]
Shu Uchida (内田 柊, Uchida Shū)
Portrayed by: Alissa Yagi (film)[4]

Media

Manga

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight is written and illustrated by Rin Mikimoto. It was serialized in the monthly magazine Bessatsu Friend from the May 2015 issue released on April 13, 2015 to the June 2020 issue released on May 13, 2020.[5] The chapters were later released in 12 bound volumes by Kodansha under the Kodansha Comics Bessatsu Friend imprint.[6]

At New York Comic Con 2016, Kodansha USA announced that they were publishing the series in English for North American distribution.[7]

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 July 13, 2015 (2015-07-13)978-4-06-341993-1September 19, 2017 (2017-09-19)[8]978-1-63-236494-4
2 December 11, 2015 (2015-12-11)978-4-06-392023-9November 21, 2017 (2017-11-21)[9]978-1-63-236495-1
3 April 13, 2016 (2016-04-13)978-4-06-392038-3January 30, 2018 (2018-01-30)[10]978-1-63-236496-8
4 September 13, 2016 (2016-09-13)978-4-06-392078-9March 20, 2018 (2018-03-20)[11]978-1-63-236558-3
5 January 13, 2017 (2017-01-13)978-4-06-392102-1May 15, 2018 (2018-05-15)[12]978-1-63-236559-0
6 July 13, 2017 (2017-07-13)978-4-06-392120-5July 17, 2018 (2018-07-17)[13]978-1-63-236624-5
7 January 12, 2018 (2018-01-12)978-4-06-510687-7September 18, 2018 (2018-09-18)[14]978-1-63-236672-6
8 June 13, 2018 (2018-06-13)978-4-06-511393-6December 4, 2018 (2018-12-04)[15]978-1-63-236673-3
9 November 13, 2018 (2018-11-13)978-4-06-513777-2 (regular edition)
ISBN 978-4-06-513509-9 (special edition w/ drama CD)		August 27, 2019 (2019-08-27)[16]978-1-63-236726-6
10 April 12, 2019 (2019-04-12)978-4-06-515128-0December 10, 2019 (2019-12-10)[17]978-1-63-236843-0
11 November 13, 2019 (2019-11-13)978-4-06-516996-4October 27, 2020 (2020-10-27)[18]978-1-63-236914-7
12 July 13, 2020 (2020-07-13)978-4-06-519512-3January 25, 2022 (2022-01-25)—

Novels

A novel adaptation written by Yui Tokiumi and published by Kodansha under the Kodansha KK Bunko imprint, with illustrations provided by Mikimoto.

No. Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1 November 28, 2019 (2019-11-28)978-4-06-517237-7
2 November 28, 2019 (2019-11-28)978-4-06-517572-9

Film

In April 2019, the May 2019 issue of Bessatsu Friend announced that a live-action film adaptation was green-lit,[2] with a release date of December 6, 2019 announced later in the year.[4] The film is directed by Takehiko Shinjō and written by Haruka Ōkita, with a starring cast of Generations from Exile Tribe member Ryota Katayose as Kaede and Kanna Hashimoto as Hinana.[4] Additional cast members include Gordon Maeda, Alissa Yagi, Kenichi Endo, Sae Okazaki, Katsuhiro Suzuki, and Wakana Sakai.[4] The film's theme song is "One in a Million (Kiseki no Yoru ni)" performed by Generations from Exile Tribe.[4] A tie-in commercial for Coca-Cola starring Katayose and Ayaka Wilson was produced for and featured in the film.[19]

The film ranked #3 at box office during its opening weekend in 255 theaters nationwide in Japan, selling 159,000 tickets and earning approximately ¥194 million on its first day.[20] On its second day, it sold an additional 121,000 tickets and earned approximately ¥144 million.[20] The film earned a cumulative total of ¥613,484,200.[21]

Reception

Rebecca Silverman from Anime News Network complimented the artwork and the juxtaposition of the Cinderella fairytale but cited issues with some of the romance tropes used.[22]

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight was nominated for Best Shōjo Manga at the 43rd Annual Kodansha Manga Awards.[23]

References

  1. ^ "Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight". The Japan Times. March 26, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Sherman, Jennifer (April 11, 2019). "Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Manga Listed With Live-Action Film". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  3. ^ "Come Kiss Me at 0:00 AM". Fuji TV. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Pineda, Rafael Antonio (October 3, 2019). "Live-Action Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Film's Trailer Previews Theme Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  5. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 12, 2020). "Rin Mikimoto Ends Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Manga in May". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  6. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 13, 2019). "Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Manga Ends With 12th Volume". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  7. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 16, 2016). "Kodansha Comics Adds Frau Faust, Fairy Tail: Rhodonite, Kigurumi Defense Squad, Aho Girl, Hōseki no Kuni, More Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  8. ^ Ressler, Karen (September 19, 2017). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, September 17–23". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  9. ^ Ressler, Karen (November 21, 2017). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, November 19–25". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  10. ^ Ressler, Karen (January 30, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, January 28-February 3". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  11. ^ Ressler, Karen (March 20, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, March 18–24". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  12. ^ Ressler, Karen (May 15, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, May 13–19". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  13. ^ Ressler, Karen (July 17, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, July 15–21". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  14. ^ Ressler, Karen (September 18, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, September 16–22". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  15. ^ Ressler, Karen (December 4, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, December 2–8". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  16. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (August 29, 2019). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, August 25–31". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  17. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (December 10, 2019). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, December 8–14". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  18. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (October 28, 2020). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, October 25–31". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  19. ^ Mateo, Alex (October 22, 2019). "Live-Action Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight Film Gets Coca-Cola Ad". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  20. ^ a b Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 9, 2019). "Lupin III THE FIRST CG Anime Film Debuts at #2". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  21. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 24, 2019). "My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising Film Opens at #3 in Japan, Earns 422 Million Yen in 3 Days". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  22. ^ Silverman, Rebecca (October 23, 2017). "Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight GN 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  23. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 3, 2019). "43rd Annual Kodansha Manga Awards' Nominees Announced". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 19, 2020.