It has been revealed that Hiroshi Motomiya's popular manga "Salaryman Kintaro," which has a total of 30 million copies in circulation, will be adapted into a movie 30 years after its serialization began, and will be released in theaters in a two-part series. Former "Gekidan EXILE" actor Suzuki Nobuyuki will play the protagonist Yajima Kintaro.
Takahashi Katsunori and Nagai Dai have played Kintaro in TV dramas and movies so far, and Suzuki, who will play the "third generation" Kintaro, commented, "It was very refreshing to play the Reiwa version of Kintaro who pushes forward in an unconventional way." A teaser visual was also released.
The first part, "Salaryman Kintaro [Akatsuki]", will be released nationwide from January 10, 2025, and the second part, "Salaryman Kintaro [Kaisei]", will be released nationwide from February 7, 2025. The first part depicts Kintaro's "birth," and the second part depicts Kintaro's assault on the huge vested interests that control Japan. Both the first and second parts will be directed by Shimoyama Ten.
Salaryman Kintaro began serialization in issue 30 of Weekly Young Jump (Shueisha) in 1994. Kintaro, a former member of a motorcycle gang, becomes the "lifesaver" of the chairman of Yamato Construction, a construction company, and is granted special employment, moving to Tokyo. The story follows Kintaro as he goes on a rampage in his quest to become the best salaryman in Japan. After a period of hiatus, the series ran for 22 years until 2016.
Times have changed since the original manga and previous film adaptations, values have been renewed, and compliance has become stricter in today's world. Will Kintaro, a former leader of a motorcycle gang and tuna fisherman who has jumped into the world of salarymen, be able to stick to his beliefs using his old-fashioned drive and strength? His bravery in never giving up on what he cannot compromise remains unchanged, but Suzuki will play a character that has been updated with the passage of time, giving it a fresh feel.
◇Comment from Suzuki Nobuyuki
I am Suzuki Nobuyuki, who will be playing the role of Yajima Kintaro. I am very grateful for the offer. I felt a sense of exhilaration while cherishing the core strength of the character that oozes from the script, and playing the Reiwa version of Kintaro, who pushes forward unconventionally in this age where even speaking a single word feels difficult. I hope you will watch how Kintaro, who goes against the times, confronts society. I miss the days when I went home every day with a dry throat and exhausted. I took on this challenge with all my might. I hope that everyone will love this work.
◇Comment from Director Shimoyama Ten
In this day and age, when we are bound by compliance that eliminates anything dangerous, can there be an unconventional salaryman who is willing to break the rules for the sake of a greater good? No, no, it is precisely because we are in this modern age, bound by various constraints, that we are waiting for the appearance of Yajima Kintaro. I am convinced that his ``righteousness'' and ``strength'' will be a clue to updating to a new Japan.
◇ Comment from Producer Maeda Toshihiro
Today's Japan is filled with distrust in politics, widening social inequality, and anxiety about the future. We felt that Yajima Kintaro, an unconventional man who ignores compliance, was needed because we live in a world where people cannot even say what they want to say. Kintaro's straightforward and passionate thoughts move people's hearts, and watching him rise up the ranks at work will give you a refreshing feeling and a little push in the right direction. The setting and story are new and adapted to the current era. I thought that Suzuki Nobuyuki was perfect for the role of this new Kintaro in the Reiwa era. His physique, presence, and powerful gaze all make him a Kintaro unlike any we've seen before.
Please look forward to the Reiwa era version of "Salaryman Kintaro."
