The serial drama "My Story is Long," starring actor Toma Ikuta and broadcast on Nippon Television in October 2019, is making a comeback after six years. It was revealed on March 5 that "My Story is Long ~2025 Spring~" will be broadcast on the same station for two consecutive weeks on March 30 and April 6 from 10:30 pm each day.
"My Story is Long" is a family drama starring 31-year-old NEET Kishibe Mitsuru (Ikuta), a genius at making excuses and making excuses to avoid reality. After dropping out of university, he became obsessed with coffee and started a business, but it failed. Using his special ability to be better than anyone at arguing, Mitsuru has continued to cover up his own shortcomings and lives off his mother, Fusae (Harada Mieko), who runs a coffee shop. His older sister and her family come to stay with him temporarily as their house is being rebuilt... and so the story unfolds.
Her older sister, Ayako Akiba, is played by Eiko Koike, her husband, Koji, is played by Ken Yasuda, and Ayako's daughter, Harumi, is played by Kaya Kiyohara. The script was written by Shigeki Kaneko, who also worked on dramas such as "I'm Taking a Day Off Today" (2014), "The World's Most Difficult Love" (2016), and "A House Without a Kotatsu" (2023). The previous work won the 38th Mukoda Kuniko Award.
"My Story is Long ~2025 Spring~" depicts the world five years after the TV series. Mitsuru is now 36 years old. Five years ago, after a series of twists and turns, Mitsuru became a secretary to a prefectural assemblyman, but was fired after two months, and is now living a NEET life, parasitizing on his mother who runs a coffee shop. Meanwhile, talk of selling the coffee shop and his family home finally comes up. Once again, the family gathers together and starts a battle of words. Will Mitsuru be able to break away from being a useless man and start on the path to independence? Yosuke Sugino will play the role of Komano Kaisei, the manager of his favorite bar, and Masahiko Nishimura will play the role of Makimoto Motomu, a regular customer at the coffee shop.
In conjunction with the broadcast of "My Story is Long ~2025 Spring~", the previous series "My Story is Long" that was broadcast in 2019 will start streaming on Hulu and TVer. TVer will stream episodes 1 to 3 from the 5th to the 30th at 10:29 pm, and will stream up to episode 10 in sequence.
The comments from Ikuta and others about the new work are as follows:
◇Comment from Toma Ikuta
--This is your first new work in five years since the regular series. What are your thoughts on it?
I had vaguely thought it would be nice to do it, and finally (scriptwriter) Kaneko-sensei was moved (laughs), and a really fun and interesting script was completed, so although five years have passed, it feels like it has come true!
I was surprised when I saw the script because it looked like a phone book (lol). When I read it, Mitsuru's nagging was still alive and well. Each scene is really long! Each person has a lot of lines, so I have to start studying properly from now on. There are a lot of lines, so it's difficult, but I think it will be a fun drama.
-What was the most memorable scene in the previous film?
The scene where he is talking with his older sister Ayako, played by Eiko Koike, on the veranda was very memorable. Although they are usually at odds with each other and always say bad things about each other, when Mitsuru is really weak, he suddenly encourages her with his own kindness. It was a scene that showed that kind of bond, so it left a strong impression on me. Because the two of them have such a fundamental love for each other, I felt that they could say anything and be forgiven.
--What are you looking forward to doing with your family, whom you won't be seeing for a while?
Everyone is really at their own pace... It sounds a bit light to say that, but they have their own axis and the strength to not waver. During filming, the five of us sit separately in the waiting room, and when one person mutters their lines, the next person mutters their lines, and gradually they start practicing their lines... It's a place where you can feel like a really comfortable family, so I'm looking forward to seeing them again!
--What are the similarities between you and Mitsuru?
People around me who watched this drama often told me, "You're just like your normal self" (laughs). I was surprised that I was so nagging. At the same time, I also got a lot of comments like, "He's just like my son!" or "My brother is like this too!", so I think there are a lot of people like that all over the country. I hope people will enjoy this drama as a familiar presence, like someone in their family or neighborhood... like, "He's like that guy."
--Is there anything you think you might change about your performance from last time?
It doesn't change. I hope I can bring out the unchanging goodness of Mitsuru. I don't think he's grown (laughs), and I don't want him to (laughs). Doesn't he have that strength? Unchanging strength! That being said, I think it's a bit different to follow the same path as the drama series. It's definitely been five years, so I don't think I'll be too conscious of it.
- A message to viewers.
It's a fun family drama that the whole family can watch while eating dinner, discussing this and that. I hope it's a drama that you can watch while lying down and relaxing. There's no speculation or anything (lol). I just want you to enjoy watching it!
◇ Comment from producer Yuko Haseyama
It's been five years since the drama series aired. It all started with the words of screenwriter Shigeki Kaneko, "I thought Polaris was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic."
I think the beauty of "My Story is Long" as a family drama is that even though the situation has changed, viewers can feel the "unchanging people" just as they did when the series was on.
This family is so close that they fight...I hope you will watch their lovey-dovey antics with a warm smile from the comfort of your own home.
