Kenichi Matsuyama:"Who saw the peacock dance in the jungle?" The final episode will be "I hope viewers can appreciate the beauty of parent-child love"

The final episode of the drama series " Who saw the peacock dance in the jungle? " starring Suzu Hirose (TBS, Friday 10pm) will be broadcast on March 28th. We asked Matsuyama, who plays Matsukaze Yoshiteru, a lawyer who pursued the truth of the case together with Komugi(Hirose), about his memorable moments during filming and the highlights of the final episode.

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-Please tell us your impressions of playing Matsukaze.

Thinking about it now, I think Matsukaze was an easy character to play. I was very grateful that I was able to bring out the best in each of my co-stars, including (Hirose) Suzu-chan, (Morisaki) Win-kun, who played lawyer Hasami Yukinobu, and (Isamura) Hayato-kun, who played Kamii Takashi, a reporter for the magazine "Weekly Jidai."

As filming progressed, I think I was able to play the character of Matsukaze thanks to the space and stimulation I got from my co-stars.

--The co-stars also commented that the dialogue between Matsukaze and Hasami was particularly memorable.

While the film was generally in a serious mood, I was often in charge of the comical parts with Win-kun. So, we often discussed on the set how to bring out the comicality in the scenes and dialogue exchanges, and what was needed to express the relationship between the two of us as "childhood friends since elementary school."

--The scene in episode 8 where Matsukaze confronts his father, Masakatsu Kuze, was also impressive. What was your impression of Eisuke Shinoi, who played the role?

Since I had worked with Shinoi-san before, I felt like I was able to act naturally as a father and son without being particularly tense. Shinoi-san is a very soft and delicate person. When I see his acting, my heart trembles. I have been moved by his charm up until now, but I was captivated again. I am grateful to Shinoi-san for bringing out the atmosphere of the Matsukaze family.

--Also, in episode 8, the scene where you go to meet your mother, Miki (Miyazaki Yoshiko), was actually filmed on location in Fukuoka.

We shot the footage at a food stall with actual customers, which was a very fresh and interesting experience. I was able to try the food on offer at the food stall, and it became a fond memory for me.

--You've been sharing your theories about the culprit and information from the filming location on your own social media, but what kind of reaction have you received to your posts?

I've received comments from a variety of people, including those who watch the drama and those who know the original work. Most of all, I wanted as many people as possible to watch this drama, so I tried to present it from a slightly different angle. I hope you enjoyed it.

--Please tell us what the highlights of the final episode are.

From the end of episode 8, the truth of the case gradually became clear. I really liked the scene with the father and son, Komugi and Haruo Yamashita played by Lily Franky, and I'm also curious about the outcome of the father and son, Rikiro Endo (Yoshi Sakou), who was sentenced to death in the Togayama incident 22 years ago, and Tomoya (Ryo Narita), who was arrested for murdering Haruo. I hope that the viewers can appreciate the "beauty of parent-child love."