It has been announced that Junpei Mizobata, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, and Ittoku Kishibe will appear as new cast members in the drama series "Minna no Ou R" (TV Asahi, Tuesdays at 9pm), which starts on October 22nd. Mizobata plays Shiratori Tsubasa, the "Prince of Nagatacho" who is seen as the next Prime Minister, Mitsushima plays Hasunuma Kiyohiko, a "shady" political commentator, and Kishibe plays Niki Shoichi, the "political don" who leads the largest faction in the ruling party.
The drama stars Kenichi Endo and is a sequel to "Minna no Ou," which aired in July 2015. The previous series, which was adapted from the novel of the same name by Jun Ikeido, became a hot topic for its fantastical story of the mind-body swap between the Prime Minister Taizan (played by Endo) and his foolish son (played by Masaki Suda). In this sequel, Muto, who has been approached by the Prime Minister again, swaps bodies with a citizen in every episode.
Mizobata's role as Shiratori is a second-generation politician whose father is a former prime minister, and he is extremely popular with the public for his clean image and refreshing appearance. Mizobata commented, "Shiratori Tsubasa is a candidate for the next prime minister and Taizan's young rival. Shiratori is good at grabbing the public's attention with his superficial performance, as he seems to be saying something important but actually says nothing, and therefore never makes a gaffe. But what kind of person is he really? I hope you will look forward to the broadcast."
Mitsushima, who plays Hasunuma, a political commentator who cuts down the political world with his outspoken remarks, said she put all her effort into creating the character, saying, "I thought that the impact of appearance was also very important, so I put a lot of effort into the visuals as well."
Kishibe, who plays the politically powerful Futaki, commented, "The script was interesting, and Endo Kenichi was the lead actor, which were the main reasons I decided to appear in 'Minoou R'", and appealed, "Futaki Shoichi, who I play, is a character who embodies the reality of the 'front and back' of a politician. It's an interesting idea that hasn't been seen in TV dramas before, and it might even have an impact on current politics... I hope you enjoy it."
Character posters full of personality, featuring the main characters, were also released. The first episode on the 22nd will be aired as an extended special.
