Mikami Sensei:Tori Matsuzaka reveals the "back story" of the students, including their relationship with the Phantom Man

Actor Tori Matsuzaka stars in the Sunday Theatre drama "Mikami Sensei" (TBS, Sundays at 9pm). In the second episode, which aired on January 26th, the story really got going with the appearance of murderer Yuzuru Mayama (Mayu Hotta) and a mysterious young man (Kyōhei Takahashi). Ahead of the broadcast of the third episode on February 2nd, Matsuzaka shared behind-the-scenes stories and highlights of the show.

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--Two episodes have been aired so far, but what kind of feedback have you received, Matsuzaka-san?

I'm honestly surprised to receive feedback from people I don't usually have much contact with, such as "It was interesting" or "I watched it." Producer Iida has also talked about the number of views on TVer, and I often see articles about this work, so I realize that the work "Mikami Sensei" that we all created is being viewed from various angles. At the same time, I feel that the feelings that we put into this work are reaching people, little by little.

--Please tell us some behind-the-scenes stories about the setting of this series that you can only reveal after it has aired.

The students' costumes are in the style that they themselves thought about for their roles. According to Director Yohei Miyazaki, this is a "Harry Potter style." The students in the Harry Potter film series also wore the uniforms they wanted to wear. I remembered that they said, "The students at Rintoku are like Harry Potter," because they chose their costumes with autonomy through the filter of their roles. So, in that sense, Kanzaki (Takuto, Daiken Okudaira Daiken), Tominaga (Ao, Aju Makita), and Jigen (Kenta, Airu Kubozuka) are like Harry, Hermione, and Ron. And Mikami Sensei is Professor Snape...?

--For viewers who will be watching repeatedly, please tell us what points they should pay attention to in order to enjoy the show even more.

Thank you to everyone who has been watching it over and over again. Each scene is filled with various playful elements and hints, but there are actually many other detailed background settings, including the relationships between the students. For example, Muraoka Wataru (Kento Yamada) and Togakushi Shiori (Nouchi Maru) are dating... The relationships between each student are revealed by the brief moment when Mikami Sensei enters the classroom and the students' movements after class. This is because each student understands their role and relationship and reflects it in the play. In the first episode, Mikami looks at the students' profiles, and if you look closely, you might find something interesting written there.

--I think the third episode will take a step further into the theme of education reform. What are some highlights for viewers?

The main cast was revealed in the second episode. As a result, a new story will unfold in the third episode. It will also be revealed what kind of relationship the phantom man that the viewers saw with the Mikami is in. We have received a lot of feedback since the broadcast ended, so we hope you will watch it in real time to avoid spoilers.