New Abarenbou Shogun:Matsudaira Ken, who plays Yoshimune, is troubled by the issue of succession; a shocking sight is witnessed in town; a difficult case rife with conspiracies befalls the Shogun family!

The new TV Asahi Drama Premium "New Abarenbou Shogun" will be broadcast on January 4th from 9:00 pm to 10:54 pm, the first new episode in about 17 years since the 2008 special of the popular period drama "Abarenbou Shogun" (TV Asahi, 1978-2003) starring Matsudaira Ken. The director is Miike Takashi and the scriptwriter is Omori Mika.

The story takes place in Edo, more than 20 years after the reign of the eighth shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune (Matsudaira). Yoshimune was busy every day taking measures to save the people who were suffering from the recession caused by the Great Kyoho Famine. As he was approaching his 60th birthday, Yoshimune was also worried about the issue of his successor.

Yoshimune has three sons, but his eldest son, Ieshige (played by Daigo Nishihata), is unable to move his right arm due to illness and his face is stiff, making it difficult for him to speak. As a result, there are voices within the castle that believe that his second son, Munetake (played by Akita Komakine), is more suitable to become the next Shogun.

Yoshimune, who has been out in town for the first time in a long time as the third son of a poor samurai, Tokuda Shinnosuke, encounters Okinu (Fujita Sawako), the daughter of a lumber merchant, being harassed by human traffickers. He goes to help her, but then a mysterious man who elegantly wields a Western sword, a rapier, appears to help him.

Yoshimune is amazed at the swordsmanship of the man who speaks in a rough manner and introduces himself as Tokunaga Fukutaro, the third son of a merchant family, but cannot hide his surprise when he realizes that his true identity is Ieshige.

At that time, the second son, Munetake, was approached by the samurai Homma Yojiro (Ozawa Yukiyoshi). Homma spread rumors to Munetake that the lord of Owari, Tokugawa Muneharu (GACKT), was aiming for the position of Shogun and might draw his bow against the government. In reality, Homma held a grudge against Yoshimune and was obsessed with grand ambitions.

At the same time, a series of young women who had gone missing in Edo are found dead one after another. Yoshimune suspects there is something behind their deaths and begins to investigate the incidents.

The feud between Yoshimune and Ieshige, father and son, creates great turmoil, and soon the Shogun family is faced with a difficult case rife with conspiracy!