It was revealed on February 21 that actor Kodai Asaka will be starring in the drama series "Sannin Fuufu" which will be broadcast on TBS's late-night drama slot "Drama Stream" (late Tuesday night, broadcast time TBA) from April 8. This will be Asaka's first lead role in a terrestrial TV drama.
"Three Couples" is billed as "A lonely, uptight man marries his ex-girlfriend and her ex-boyfriend?! A groundbreaking home-romantic comedy in which these 'flawed' individuals complement each other and find their own happiness," and tells the story of a new type of couple made up of two men and one woman.
The protagonist, Mitsuda Takuzo (played by Asaka), is asked by his ex-girlfriend Yanoguchi Mia and her boyfriend Satomura Shinpei to become a "married couple of three." Takuzo initially refuses, saying it's too unusual, but ends up starting a life together as a trio under the pretext of a "one-year trial period." A mountain of problems pile up, including rules about sex, how to deal with jealousy, and how to explain the situation to their parents... and so the story unfolds.
The lead actor, Asaka, began his career as an actor in 2008. He appeared in the NHK Asadora drama series "Massan" in the latter half of 2014 and the morning Asadora"Hiyokko" in the first half of 2017. Since then, he has appeared in a number of popular dramas and movies, including "Your Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!" (2020), and the "Octo: Emotional Investigator Kokoro Akari" series (2022, 2024).
Takuzo, played by Asaka, is an architectural designer who is meticulous, sensitive, and introverted, but in reality he is kinder than anyone else and wants to take care of others. However, his clumsiness tends to make him spin out of control. Takuzo, who does not understand other people's feelings or distance, is initially confused by the proposal to live together as a "couple of three," but as they live together he gradually begins to feel that "three people is more fun than one."
When Asaka saw the title, she said, "I thought, 'What does it mean to have three people in a couple?!'" She continued, "When I read the script, I saw that it was one of the new and diverse forms of marriage, and the story was heartwarming and interesting as a comedy. It was a good read, so I was really looking forward to seeing what kind of story it would be. Because it's not a romance between just two people, there were parts where I thought, 'Are they going to come at it from that angle?!' which was interesting."
After the terrestrial broadcast, "The Three Couples" will be available for one week on catch-up streaming on "TVer" and "TBS FREE". The cast other than Asaka will be announced in the future. Asaka and the producer's comments are as follows.
◇Comment from lead actor Kodai Asaka
When I first saw the title, I thought, "What does it mean to have three people in a couple?!" When I read the script, I found out that a "three-person couple" is one of the new and diverse forms of married couples, and the story is heartwarming and interesting as a comedy, so it was a worthwhile read, and I was really looking forward to seeing what kind of work it would be. Since it's not a love story between two people, there were parts where I thought, "Are they going to give me opinions from that angle?!", which was interesting.
Although Takuzo can be old-fashioned and stubborn at times, he is also a very receptive character with the ability to deal with a variety of situations and an honest heart, so I thought that was one of the aspects of him that made him so lovable.
It's a drama about three married couples who struggle, hurt each other, support each other, and take on challenges while searching for happiness and growing. Each character is cute and it's a heartwarming drama, so I hope you'll watch it.
◇ Comment from producer Nanaka Hakomori
"Marriage" is something everyone has thought about at least once. For some people it is a very happy thing, while for others it is something they want to avoid. That's why I wanted to make a drama that is heartwarming and funny.
Mia, the ex-girlfriend of the main character, is a woman who has a strong desire to get married. Mia's younger boyfriend, Shinpei, was reluctant to get married, but one day he proposes, "Maybe we could get married if it's just the three of us!" The main character, Takuzo, who gets caught up in the proposal, is a complicated and strict man, but in reality he is the kindest man of all. Kodai Asaka perfectly portrays the gentle expression and cuteness he occasionally shows. Both Mia and Shinpei are lacking in some way, but they are lovable and are played very cutely. I think the viewers will find all the characters endearing. Please look forward to it.
