On February 28, 2026, it was announced that the library workplace comedy 「税金で買った本」 (Zeikin de Katta Hon, “Books Bought with Tax Money”) will receive both a live-action drama adaptation and a TV anime adaptation. The drama is scheduled to air this summer on NHK General.
For fans of the series, this is big news: the story that began in the pages of Young Magazine is now expanding to both the small screen and animation.
A Library Comedy with a “Yankee” Twist
The series is based on the 原作 (gensaku, original work) by ずい and illustrated by 系山冏. The announcement describes it as:
ずいの原作による系山冏「税金で買った本」のドラマ化とTVアニメ化が決定した。 Zui no gensaku ni yoru Kayama Kei “Zeikin de Katta Hon” no dorama-ka to TV anime-ka ga kettei shita. “It has been decided that ‘Books Bought with Tax Money,’ based on the original work by Zui and illustrated by Kayama Kei, will be adapted into a drama and a TV anime.”
Notice the grammar pattern 〜による (~ni yoru), meaning “by” or “based on.” We’ll break that down more later.
The story begins when a high school ヤンキー (yankii, delinquent teen) named 石平紀一 (Ishidaira Norikazu) visits a library for the first time in 10 years. From that moment, his life changes.
10年ぶりに図書館に訪れたことから展開されるお仕事コメディ。 Jū-nen buri ni toshokan ni otozureta koto kara tenkai sareru oshigoto komedi. “A workplace comedy that unfolds from the fact that he visits the library for the first time in 10 years.”
The key phrase here is 〜ことから (~koto kara), meaning “starting from” or “triggered by.” His simple visit to the library becomes the starting point of the entire story.
What Is “税金で買った本” About?
After returning to the library, Ishidaira begins working there part-time. Surrounded by quirky staff members, he discovers that a library is more than just shelves of books.
The employees 奮闘する (funtō suru, struggle hard or work diligently) every day for their patrons. Through his job, Ishidaira learns about the many rules and responsibilities involved in making sure everyone can encounter books and experience the joy of knowledge.
The manga is currently 連載中 (rensai-chuu, being serialized) in Young Magazine (published by Kodansha), and 18 単行本 (tankōbon, collected volumes) have been released so far.
Drama Details: NHK This Summer
The live-action ドラマ化 (dorama-ka, drama adaptation) will begin airing this summer on NHK General. It will broadcast Monday through Thursday from 10:45 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Key staff members include:
- Screenplay: 坂口理子 (Riko Sakaguchi)
- Music: 吉川慶 (Kei Yoshikawa)
- Directors: 村松弘之 (Hiroyuki Muramatsu) and 坂梨公紀 (Kōki Sakanashi)
- Cast: 奥平大兼 (Daiken Okudaira)
Other cast members will be announced at a later date.
The series will also receive an アニメ化 (anime-ka, anime adaptation), though further details have not yet been revealed.
Cultural Context: Why a Library?
Libraries in Japan are public institutions funded by taxes—hence the title, “Books Bought with Tax Money.” The title itself highlights an important theme: public resources belong to everyone.
The idea of a former delinquent working in a quiet, rule-driven environment like a library creates natural comedy. But it also reflects a broader theme in Japanese storytelling: personal growth through community responsibility.
Workplace comedies—known as お仕事コメディ (oshigoto komedi)—are a popular genre in Japan. They often focus on everyday professions and reveal the unseen effort behind ordinary services. In this case, readers get a behind-the-scenes look at how libraries operate.
Learn Japanese from This Article
Let’s break down some key vocabulary and grammar you can use right away.
Key Vocabulary
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ドラマ化 | dorama-ka | to be adapted into a drama |
| アニメ化 | anime-ka | to be adapted into an anime |
| 原作 | gensaku | original work; source material |
| 連載中 | rensai-chuu | currently being serialized |
| 単行本 | tankōbon | collected manga volume |
| 奮闘する | funtō suru | to struggle hard; to work diligently |
| ヤンキー | yankii | delinquent teen; punk |
You’ll notice several words ending in 〜化 (-ka). This suffix means “to turn into” or “to make into.” For example:
- ドラマ化する – to turn into a drama
- アニメ化する – to turn into an anime
This pattern is extremely productive in Japanese.
Grammar Spotlight 1: 〜による (by; based on)
Structure: Noun + による + Noun
Example from the article:
- ずいの原作によるドラマ Zui no gensaku ni yoru dorama “A drama based on Zui’s original work.”
You can use this pattern to describe sources or authorship:
- 村上春樹による小説 Murakami Haruki ni yoru shōsetsu “A novel by Haruki Murakami.”
Grammar Spotlight 2: 〜ことから (starting from; because of)
Structure: Verb (plain form) + ことから
Example:
- 図書館に訪れたことから物語が始まる。 Toshokan ni otozureta koto kara monogatari ga hajimaru. “The story begins from the fact that he visited the library.”
This pattern explains the reason or trigger for something.
Useful Expression
- 〜ぶりに (~buri ni) — “for the first time in (period)”
- 10年ぶりに図書館に行った。 Jū-nen buri ni toshokan ni itta. “I went to the library for the first time in 10 years.”
You’ll hear this expression constantly in everyday Japanese.
Continue Learning
Working on your reading skills? These lessons will help you understand articles like this more smoothly:
- Katakana Essentials: Adapting Global Words to Japanese
- Introduction to Kanji: Pictorial Foundations of Japanese Script
- Basic Vocabulary Building: Embracing Words Without Latin Ties
As this series moves from manga to both drama and anime, it’s a perfect example of how modern Japanese media evolves across formats—and how a simple library visit can spark an entire story.
これからもよろしくお願いします。 Kore kara mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.