The cast for the WOWOW drama "Continuous Drama W: Riku Onda - Eugenia" (starting November 8th, Sundays at 10 PM), starring actress Yukino Kishii, has been revealed, with Mao Kiryu, Riko Narumi, Ryuhei Maruyama, Yoko Maki, Ryuhei Maruyama Katase, and Kataoka Ainosuke among those appearing.
The film is based on the masterpiece mystery novel by Riku Onda, known for works such as "Honeybees and Distant Thunder." The screenplay is written by Naoko Adachi , who has worked on TV dramas such as "What Did You Eat Yesterday?" (TV Tokyo), the NHK Asadora drama "Okaeri Mone," and the 2027 NHK Taiga drama "The Gyakuzoku no Bakushin ." In addition, Go Furukawa will serve as the main director, and Hayato Kawai, who has worked on popular works such as NHK's "Tokyo Salad Bowl" (2025), will also participate.
The story begins with a poisoning case (the Nakao-gaki mass murder case) that occurred in a prominent family home in K City, Hokuriku, resulting in the deaths of 17 people. It depicts how three women, including a novelist who was the first to discover the bodies and wrote a work based on the incident, a blind girl who survived, and a writer investigating the case, as well as other people involved, continue to be tossed about by the poisoning case even 30 years later.
Kiryu will play Tomoko Tanami, an original character who does not appear in the original work. Tomoko is a freelance writer covering the poisoning case, and the truth of the incident that happened 30 years ago is gradually revealed through her perspective.
Narumi will play Hisako Aozawa, the eldest daughter of the prominent Aozawa family in K City, who was blinded in an accident when she was a child and is the sole survivor of the mass poisoning incident. Maruyama will play Seiichi Saiga, who, along with his younger sister Makiko and second brother Junji, is one of the first people to discover the body after the poisoning.
Maki will play Hisako's mother, Katase will play Kimi, the housekeeper who has worked for the Aozawa family for nearly 20 years, and Kataoka will play Teruaki Kuriki, the detective in charge of investigating the poisoning case. Additionally, Hisako at age 13 will be played by Haruki Kuramochi, who was the 7th "Haru-chan" in " Inai Inai Baa!" (NHK), and the handsome young man Eugene, whose life is thrown into chaos after meeting Hisako, will be played by Kou Kurasu.
Along with this, a poster visual and a Teaser trailer were also released. The poster visual is predominantly cyan blue, with Tomoko (Kiryu) looking away on the left, Makiko (Kishii) with a somewhat vacant expression on the right, and Hisako (Narumi) standing in the background as if she knows the truth of the incident. The tagline, "Driven mad by that day," is written in the center of the three figures.
A Teaser trailer has also been released. It begins with the narration, "32 years ago, in that summer, a mass murder using poison occurred in that house," and shows Hisako calmly sitting in a rattan chair at the gruesome scene where 17 people were poisoned to death. Then, characters such as Makiko and Tomoko, whose lives continue to be shattered by the memory of the incident, appear.
The cast and director's comments are as follows:
◇Comment from Mao Kiryu
I believe that in our lives, we learn a great deal about ourselves through our interactions with others. No one knows when, where, what kind of experiences we will have, or what feelings we will experience until that moment. This work feels like it makes us think about that very "unknown." I sincerely hope that everyone will enjoy it.
◇Comment from Riko Narumi
I enjoyed the days I spent exploring how to portray Hisako Aozawa in her 20s and 40s. The Hisako depicted is very captivating, and after reading the original work by Riku Onda and the script by Naoko Adachi, I felt the pressure but also immediately wanted to accept the role. I hope everyone will look forward to seeing "Eugenia" in a way that only a film can.
◇Comment from Yoko Maki
Memory and truth are not singular. This work allowed me to confront the ambiguity of the "reality" that people believe in, while reflecting on my own philosophy.
◇Comment from Rino Katase
A lukewarm breeze envelops the feast, leading to a catastrophe that will shake the world. Who is telling the truth? Even we, the actors who know the truth, are forced to consider why we are alive. Welcome to a world unlike anything you've ever experienced. Enjoy the unsettling experience.
◇Comment from Kataoka Ainosuke
I am delighted to be a part of Riku Onda's "Eugenia," a very profound and mysterious work. The character I play, Teruaki Kuriki, is a detective investigating the case. What is the truth behind the case that continues to baffle people even after 30 years? I hope you will all immerse yourselves in the story and enjoy unraveling the mystery together until the very end.
◇Comment from Ryuhei Maruyama
A beautiful yet cruel story where all sorts of emotions intertwine. When I finished reading the script, I was left with an indescribable feeling. The process of embodying the character I was given was both painful and enjoyable. I can't wait to see if I was able to stand as a part of the work and how it will be received by everyone. Please enjoy this human suspense story that intricately intertwines the lives of three women.
◇Comments from Director Go Furukawa
It was overwhelming. Every day was spent scrambling to ensure that the audience could fully appreciate the actors' incredible performances. Whether I was reuniting with some actors or working with others for the first time, I'm sure we'll meet again somewhere. My soul was stirred by the performances that the "Eugenia" cast delivered.
