Hustlin Boy (Japanese: ハスリンボーイ) is an upcoming Japanese live-action drama series based on the manga of the same name written by Shinya Kusaka and illustrated by Yuki Honda. The drama, directed by Kosuke Suzuki, will air on WOWOW and consist of 8 episodes, premiering in the fall of 2024.
The series follows Tamotsu Kubota, a struggling university student burdened with debt. Leading an uneventful life, he spends most of his time doing part-time jobs. In a desperate attempt to reduce his debt, Tamotsu falls victim to a scam, plunging him into an even worse financial crisis. Just as his situation worsens, he meets a criminal tools dealer who saves him from further peril. The two begin working together in the criminal underworld of Ikebukuro, a dangerous area controlled by three powerful groups: the Jinbokai yakuza group, the Gozugumi yakuza group, and the Taiga group, which specializes in bank transfer frauds. Amidst this, a mysterious duo also emerges, complicating the already volatile criminal environment.
The drama is adapted from the manga series Hustlin Boy, which was serialized from May 2018 to June 2019 in Big Comic Spirits. The live-action adaptation brings the gritty world of Ikebukuro’s underground criminal activity to life, focusing on the complex relationships and power struggles among rival gangs.