The final episode of the TBS Sunday Theatre drama " Mikami Sensei " (Sunday 9:00 pm), starring actor Tori Matsuzaka , will air on March 23rd. This unique school drama follows the Ministry of Education bureaucrat Mikami Takashi (Matsuzaka) as he stands at the podium with the conviction to change education in Japan and fight against evil. Matsuzaka spoke about the changes in the 29 students, his co-stars, and the sequel.
◇The Emperor also saw a change as he interacted with his students
The drama is an original "great reversal education revival story" in which Takashi Mikami (Matsuzaka), a Ministry of Education bureaucrat with a desire to change education in Japan, takes the podium at a private high school and leads an 18-year-old high school student living in the Reiwa era while standing up to authority. The script is written by Roba Shimori, who will be teaming up with Matsuzaka for the first time since the film "The Journalist" (2019). Kazutaka Iida, who has been in charge of popular Sunday Theatre dramas such as "VIVANT" (2023), is the producer.
As the story progresses, the students in Class 3-2 seem to become more united.
As their "homeroom teacher," Matsuzaka said, "I was truly impressed by how they were able to maintain their concentration until the very end, and I have a lot of respect for them. The words don't come out as lines, but as the students' own words, so every time we perform, I feel moved and it makes me want to respond in kind."
"I think they are completely dedicated to their roles. When you appear as a student in a school drama, you can easily think about just standing out. But that is not the case at all. Each and every student acts with the sole thought of making the scene work. Thanks to Shimori-san, the script was ready up until the final episode, so everyone is counting backwards, plotting the dots in their minds and acting in a way that connects them, so nothing is wasted. I really admire the fact that they are able to do that in their current careers."
Seeing the students like this, Mikami's behavior also begins to change. In episode 9 (broadcast on March 16), Mikami himself confronts his mother, who still calls him by his brother's name.
"In the scene where he confronts his mother, Mikami takes Tominaga ( Aju Makita) and Jigen (Airu Kubozuka). I think that is a big thing for Mikami. Before he talks to the two of them with his mother, he asks them to 'see it through.' I think that Mikami chose that in order to be able to confront Tominaga's own problems on an equal footing. Mikami is trying to face the situation without running away from it, while at the same time reaching out as a teacher and as a mother and filial son. It made a lot of sense to me that this is Mikami's way of facing things. Throughout episode 6 (when he confesses about his brother), Mikami gradually becomes more human, and I interpreted episode 9 as one of those big waves, so I acted it that way."
◇ The future potential of Daiken Okudaira , who plays Kanzaki
Regarding Daiken Okudaira , who plays Kanzaki, a student involved in the problems of Saejima ( Takako Tokiwa ), another central theme of the story, he praised him, saying, "He's someone who can really convey a sense of temperature during performances. That causes our acting to change in response, so he's one of the actors who is really fun to work with. I can already see that Okudaira will continue to be called on by various directors and producers, and will grow as he works on various sets."
"She's the only one in charge of a different part among many other students, so she probably feels a lot of pressure, but she has a professional spirit that doesn't show it on the surface. But when she talks, she has a cute side to her that's appropriate for her age. She's very serious about her acting, so in every scene, she can ask out loud how she should do this, and she's consistent in that straightforward approach. I think that's really wonderful. When I was 21 (like Okuhira), I thought it was embarrassing to not understand something, and there was a time when I couldn't tell anyone around me, and I would try my best to get through it while keeping it to myself, so I think it's really wonderful that she can do this, and I want to emulate her example."
He sent a message to the students, including Kanzaki, saying, "As Iida said at the beginning, I want you to use this work as a springboard to spread your wings and soar towards your respective departments and projects. I also want you to use the knowledge and experience you have gained here, any feelings of regret, or thoughts of what you could have done differently, to use all of that to help you with your next project. I hope you will move on to your next project with the aim of breaking your own personal best and surpassing ' Mikami Sensei'."
◇ "I have nothing but trust in my ally, Masaki Okada"
Matsuzaka said, "There are three axes to ' Mikami Sensei'." "The axis of Mikami's education and school, the axis of Kanzaki's relationship with Saejima-sensei, and the axis of Makino, played by Okada (Masaki), as a bureaucrat. These three axes eventually mix together and become one in the ninth and final episode." He continued, "Although the title is ' Mikami Sensei,' I think there are three main characters: Mikami, Kanzaki, and Makino. I think it would be good if the real protagonists in the end were the students."
With regard to Okada, who he co-starred with in "Yutori desu ga Nani ka" (2016) and who he considers to be his ally, he declares, "I have nothing but trust in him." He says with a smile, "I have complete trust in Okada, who is responsible for creating the atmosphere in the 'bureaucratic block,' so I tell him, 'I'll leave it to you.'"
Until now, there was uncertainty as to whether Makino was an ally or enemy, but at the end of episode 9, it was revealed that he was "Yamato Takeru."
Regarding Okada's facial expression when it is unclear which side he is on, he revealed, "When I saw Makino's expression around episode 4 or 5, I said to him, 'Huh? Isn't this giving away too much?' He said, 'You thought so after all? I was a little unsure too,' but added, 'But it's okay. I think that even though you might think we're actually friends, in the next episode it turns out that we're enemies after all.' I think Okada had his own way of subtracting or calculating backwards. During scenes with Okada, we would chat in between filming, and we would have these kinds of conversations."
◇ Think about why there are 29 students
"Mikami Sensei" has become more and more interesting with each episode. I'm looking forward to a sequel set in the same world line, but...
"If we were to hypothetically make a second season, I think it would be better to have a protagonist who isn't Ogami in the same timeline. This time, Ogami raised issues at the Ministry of Education and at school, but this time, for example, could it be Kanzaki in the same timeline who has become a university student and is raising issues? I think it would be more interesting if a different character raised an issue in a different field in the same timeline as Mikami Sensei."
Finally, regarding the final episode, he sent a message saying, "This will be the episode where the 'three axes' I mentioned will come together. As these three axes come together, I would like everyone to watch and see where they will ultimately head and what their final destination will be. I would also like you to 'think' about why there are 29 students in Mikami Sensei's class."
