On May 4th, it was revealed that the serial drama "Last Man - The Blind Investigator -", starring Masaharu Fukuyama, which was broadcast on TBS's "Sunday Theater" (Sunday 9:00 pm) slot in April 2023, will be released nationwide this winter by Shochiku as "Last Man the Movie" (directed by Shunichi Hirano). The super trailer and teaser visuals have also been released.
"Last Man - The Blind Investigator" is written by Tsutomu Kuroiwa. It is a thrilling drama in which Hiromi Minami, a blind FBI special agent who is a people-pleaser played by Fukuyama, and Shintaro Godo, a detective who will stop at nothing to arrest the criminal, played by Yo Oizumi, team up to tackle difficult cases.
The protagonist, Minami Hiromi, lost the sight in both eyes due to an accident in the past, but is a highly skilled special agent at the FBI who has solved numerous cases and is known as the "last man, the final trump card that always ends cases." The lone detective Godo Shintaro is ordered to attend to Minami, who has come from the United States. The two, with different titles and personalities, gradually join forces to become an "invincible buddy" who solves cases.
In the second half of the drama, the fate of Minami and Shintaro is revealed, and it is revealed that the two are real brothers. As the last episode ended with Shintaro going to America to receive training, many fans were eager for a sequel. The program's average viewership rating was 12.9%, the highest among the serial dramas in the April 2023 period, and the program's favorability rating was also the highest among the programs in the same season (Video Research's "Content Karte," May 2023, survey of men and women aged 12 to 69 within a 50-kilometer radius of Tokyo), and it received tremendous support from a wide range of generations.
The released teaser visual shows the pair, Minami with a white cane and Shintaro holding a gun, leaning on each other as they face something, with the tagline "And even more invincible." The 45-second teaser begins with the caption "These two are back..." followed by footage of the pair's perfect harmony from the drama, and at the end is the audio of the exchange between Minami and Shintaro that was a hot topic when the show aired. The newly recorded exchange between the two is peppered with humor that will make you chuckle. The narration is provided by Kenjiro Tsuda, who also appeared in the drama.
Details of the film will be announced in the future. Comments from the cast and staff are as follows:
◇Comment from Masaharu Fukuyama (role of Hiromi Minami)
I am very happy to be able to bring the work "The Last Man" to everyone again.
The message from the TV series is firmly carried over to this work. It has depicted the dark side of various societies, but these are not something that only happen to other people; they are dangerous events that you may encounter at any time, or social issues and problems.
The show takes a firm look at these realities, thoroughly studies them, and then turns them into entertainment. I think the great thing about "The Last Man" is that it doesn't forget reality and humor.
Life isn't all easy, and there may be more painful things than pleasant things, but I hope that by watching this film, people will have moments that they think were interesting or fun, and that they will experience good moments in life.
Please check it out. We hope you enjoy "The Last Man"!
◇Comment from Yo Oizumi (role of Shintaro Godou)
"The Last Man" is coming back as a movie! I received a lot of positive feedback from viewers of the drama and from people around me, with many saying, "I want to see the sequel soon," so we decided to move forward with the sequel at a fast pace.
Just like in the drama, Minami-san's super moves are numerous this time as well. The action scenes are so amazing that it makes you wonder if he's Keanu Reeves or Denzel Washington. Minami-san always lives up to your expectations of what he'll show us next.
After Godo-san went to America for training, he has changed so much that it makes you wonder what happened. I see, that's how it is! Please look forward to Godo-san. He may already have long hair.
"The Last Man" is as flashy, comical, and a little sad as ever, but it will be back with a more powerful message that "movies really are amazing!" Please look forward to it!
◇ Comment from scriptwriter Tsutomu Kuroiwa
I was given the opportunity to write about what happened to Minami and Shintaro afterwards. I'm very happy and honored.
It's all thanks to the many fans who loved this work and encouraged me to watch it again. Thank you so much.
"The Last Man" is entertainment.
The movie will include action scenes that weren't in the TV drama, as well as the brotherly bond between Minami and Shintaro, and their unknown past, so I think it will be even more enjoyable.
However, the underlying themes of "diversity" and "timeliness" remain unchanged throughout this story.
Blind FBI agents exist and play an active role as a matter of course.
The greatest entertainers, Masaharu Fukuyama and Yo Oizumi, along with their colleagues, are sure to once again provide a thrilling breakthrough in these suffocating times.
We aimed to create a work that would deeply move everyone, whether they had watched the TV series or had no prior knowledge of it.
I hope many people will see the movie "The Last Man."
◇Comment from Keigo Higashinaka, project producer
The invincible buddy is finally back!
Since the show ended two years ago, we have received a lot of warm feedback from our fans. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of you.
And I am truly happy to be able to bring you another new story.
When making the film, I had many discussions with screenwriter Kuroiwa, Fukuyama, Oizumi, and director Hirano about what kind of story we should tell.
Among them, I came to the conclusion that
This is an exhilarating piece of entertainment that tells the story of "believing in your friends and paving the way, no matter how difficult the situation."
In addition, this time we will also look into Minami's "certain past."
I am confident that this will be a work that can be enjoyed by families, couples, and friends alike.
Please look forward to the movie "The Last Man"!
