The opening day stage greeting for "Muroi Shinji: The Unconquered," the first new movie in 12 years in the "Odoru" series that began with Fuji TV's smash hit drama "Bayside Shakedown" (broadcast in 1997), was held on October 11th at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills (Minato Ward, Tokyo), with leading actor Yanagiba Toshiro and other cast members, as well as director Motohiro Katsuyuki, taking to the stage.
Director Motohiro reflected on the production of this film, saying it was "difficult," and revealed that he was troubled by the thought, "Muroi (played by Yanagiba) is a pretty quiet guy, isn't he? While Aoshima-san and everyone at Wangan Police Station, who represent Bayside Shakedown, are very pop. The main character is the complete opposite, so what should I do?" He then shared a secret, saying, "I tried to make a comedy using children."
When asked by the moderator, "What kind of film has it turned out to be?" Director Motohiro paused for a moment and then said, "This isn't 'Bayside Shakedown.' It's a little different, but 'Muroi Shinji' has the same themes as 'Odoru.' Now it's just a matter of what the audience thinks."
The main character of the film is Muroi Shinji, played by Yanagiba Toshiro. As a two-part series, the second part, "Muroi Shinji: The One Who Continues to Live," will be released on November 15th.
