Ryusei Yokohama:Ten years after the Sentai series that made him realize he wanted to be an actor, he is once again starring in a long-term taiga drama: "I feel like it's fate"

Actor Ryusei Yokohama will be starring in the 2025 taiga drama " UNBOUND " which will begin on January 5th. It was his experience in the special effects drama "Ressha Sentai ToQger" broadcast from 2014 to 2015 that made him realize he wanted to pursue acting. Now, exactly 10 years after the TV series ended, he is once again taking on the long-term filming of a taiga drama as the lead. What will it be like? We spoke to Yokohama, who said, "I feel like it's fate."

◇ "For others, too..." The appeal of Tsutaya Juzaburo, the "media king of Edo"

"UNBOUND" is the 64th taiga drama, depicting the life of Tsutaya Juzaburo(or "Tsutajyu" for short), who is said to have built the foundations of Japan's media industry and pop culture. The story is billed as "a man of great talent, born with nothing - no parents, no money, no artistic talent - who became the darling of his time as the 'media king of Edo.'"

The script was written by Yoshiko Morishita, who is known for her work on the popular NHK drama "Ooku" two years ago. Co-stars include Ken Watanabe, Ken Yasuda, Fuka Koshiba , Nakamura Hayato , Koji Koji Ishizaka, Kataoka Ainosuke, Katsumi Takahashi, and Kotaro Satomi.

This is Yokohama's first time appearing in an NHK drama. He said of the character he plays, Tsutaya Juzaburo, "I don't think he's a person that everyone knows."

"But he made many great achievements, enriched Edo, and was known as the 'media king of Edo.' He was the president of what would now be called a publishing company, produced products, and handled sales himself; I think he was a truly talented man."

Why did Tsutaya Juzaburo become the “media king of Edo”?

"I think I was born with those qualities - compassion, a sense of responsibility, and the ability to not get discouraged even when I tried something and failed. But I think the most attractive thing about being a scientist is that I can act for someone else, not for myself. Yoshiwara, the prostitutes, the artists, and the world. I think people who can think like that are strong, and being able to think like that gives you many times more strength and helps you get cooperation from those around you. I want to be the kind of person who can work hard not just for myself, but for someone else."

◇ Ken Watanabe, who is around the same age and starred in a historical drama, said, "Just be straightforward and do your best."

Yokohama-san admires Tsutaya Juzaburo and when it comes to acting, he reveals, "The director basically told me to be 'cheerful'."

"I'm not a morning person (laughs bitterly). Even when I think to myself, 'this is about right,' I get told, 'it's a bit gloomy,' so that's one of the things I have to work on. (Tsutaya Juzaburo) is one of his strengths, so I want to treasure that."

Watanabe, who plays Tanuma Okitsugu, will co-star in the film "National Treasure" (directed by Lee Sang-il) to be released in 2025. The two played father and son in "National Treasure". For Yokohama, Watanabe will also be his "senior" in the lead role in the taiga drama.

When Watanabe played the lead role of Date Masamune in "Dokuganryu Masamune," which aired in 1987, he was roughly the same age as Yokohama is now.

"When I worked with Ken on 'National Treasure,' we went out to eat and talked about various things, and he gave me some very powerful words: 'Just do it with all your might.' I believe those words and now live my life as Tsutae. There is a lot I learn from watching Ken's demeanor on set, so even though we don't have many scenes together, I cherish the time we spend together."

Once again, he commented that the long period of filming a taiga drama, which lasts for a year and a half, is "a luxury."

"I think there are many things I am lacking, so I feel very happy to be able to realize those things. I previously filmed with Sentai for a year and a half, and there I discovered the joy of acting, and thought to myself, 'I want to make this my life as an actor.' I feel like it's fate that I'm able to spend the same time again after 10 years."