It has been revealed that Joichiro Fujiwara of the popular group " Naniwa Danshi " will be starring in the July drama series "Laundering" (Kantele/Fuji TV). This will be Fujiwara's first time starring alone in a terrestrial TV drama series, and he will play the protagonist who uses his special ability to "hear the voices of the dead" to accompany the lives of people who have died untimely deaths.
This is an original work written by Furuya Osho, who also wrote "Wave, Listen to Me!" (TV Asahi). Fujiwara plays Hiyama Eisuke, an unsuccessful actor with the useless special ability of "hearing the voices of the dead." This is a socially conscious mystery in which he reluctantly steps into the darkness of society and struggles to support the lives of people who have died untimely deaths. He lives in a haunted property for a while, proving that the room is livable without any problems, and through his part-time job laundering the image of the room, the story depicts the lives of people who have been cast aside by society.
The appearances of actor Yuka Sugai, the first captain of the idol group Sakurazaka46, and Otani Ryohei were also announced. Sugai will play Aosawa Karin, an employee at Amami Real Estate, the real estate company where Hiyama will be working part-time. Hiyama uses her abilities to "launder" haunted properties, but Karin also has the special ability to "see" spirits. She cannot see the spirits, but can tell the danger level of a place or object by their "color". Although she has a cool and dry personality, she will act as Hiyama's caretaker and partner.
Otani plays Goro Amami, the president of Amami Real Estate, who asks Hiyama to launder a property that was involved in an accident. His clients are people who work in the night industry, people on welfare, people who have committed crimes in the past, and others who find it difficult to enter into rental contracts. He runs a real estate company known as a "refuge" to broker cheap properties for these people. He has a ruthless side to him, and always puts business and profit first in his words and actions.
◇ Comment from Joichiro Fujiwara
--How did you feel when you received the offer?
"It's KTV!" (laughs). That was the first place. KTV has been really helpful to me since before my CD debut. I've appeared on many shows, such as SUPER EIGHT's "Kanjani∞ no Janitsuen" (broadcast regularly from 2007 to 2021) and Naniwa Danshi and Ae! group's signature show "Naniwa Kara Ae! Kaze Fukukasemasu!" (broadcast regularly from 2019 to 2021).
Actually, I was born in the hospital behind KTV, so I'm the idol closest to KTV (laughs). It's a great honor to be able to do my first solo drama with the staff who raised me in my junior days, at the TV station that has always looked after me, in a place that can be called the town where I was born. It made me realize once again how lucky I am to have grown up in Osaka.
--What were your thoughts when you read the script?
First of all, I looked up the word "laundering". It has various meanings, such as "to wash," and I was confused at first, but as the story progresses, the meaning becomes clear. The content seems to bring back the title, so I hope viewers will pay attention to how it will unfold.
Also, the character I play, Eisuke Hiyama, is a straightforward and pure person who gets others involved while also growing with them. You might be scared of the "voice of a spirit," but rather than being scary in a horror sense, this drama expresses the connections and warmth between people, so please look forward to it.
--What are your thoughts on playing Hiyama Eisuke?
After the reading, when I was discussing with the director, I realized that there was a big part that I and Hiyama have in common. The joy that Hiyama, an unsuccessful actor, feels when someone needs him because of his special ability. I think that there is a part that overlaps with me, who had a hard time making my CD debut. I think there are hints in my life so far, so I would like to inject that into Hiyama.
For other things I don't know, I create the character of "Hiyama Eisuke" by reading the script and thinking about it myself, or by being inspired by the characters around him.
--What do you and Hiyama Eisuke have in common?
"What is that!?" I'm similar to the pure Hiyama in that I'm curious about all sorts of things, but I don't have any special abilities like being able to hear the voices of spirits... (laughs). On the contrary, I think it's worth playing the role precisely because we don't have much in common.
Another thing we have in common is the "Kansai dialect" (laughs). This time, I realized that the Kansai dialect is easy to say, but difficult to remember when written down. However, the scriptwriter, Furuya Osho, was very attentive and thoughtful in the small details, and many of the other cast members are from Kansai, so it's a really fun set.
--About filming in Osaka, where the story is set
Of course, I have worked in Osaka before, but this is the first time I've worked there for such a long period of time, especially in a drama, so it feels a little strange. It's the first time I've stayed in a hotel in Osaka for several months, and I sometimes go back to my parents' house, but it feels strange (laughs).
But when I see the scenery I've worked hard for since my junior days, like the Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street in front of KTV and Ogimachi Park next to it, I feel relieved. I'm really happy to be able to take on a drama in Osaka, in the place where I've been active for so long.
--What are your impressions of your co-stars?
First of all, Yuka Sugai. We are the same age, so she is very stimulating, and even though we both have a lot of lines, I feel like we are competing with each other to create the scenes. And then there is Otani Ryohei-san. Of course, I feel like I know him! He is active not only in film but also on stage, so being able to act and exchange lines with such a person is a great asset for me.
The other day, I wrote "What would you like as a gift?" on a whiteboard in the waiting room (at the filming site). While the staff wrote things like "Cookies would be good!", there was one really cool phrase "Anything is fine as long as there is love" (laughs). There was no name, but when I told Otani-san "Thank you!", he said with a bashful look, "I should have written it more neatly" (laughs).
Everyone calls me "the leader," but I don't really think of it that way. I do have the awareness that I'm leading the drama, but I'm really supported by all these wonderful people. There are lots of other characters with unique personalities, so I hope you'll look forward to them.
--What are the highlights of the drama?
While it has an atmosphere of horror and suspense, it is also a heartwarming story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering how each episode will unfold.
I would also like you to pay attention to the camera work that the staff has been particular about. The fear that is expressed on the screen apart from the lines and expressions of the actors... it is so realistic that you doubt whether it is really being filmed with a camera. This is a work that allows you to feel the teamwork of the "Laundering" team, so please enjoy it from episode 1!
◇Comment from Yuka Sugai
--What were your thoughts when you read the script?
I read the story while trying to guess how it would end, but in the end it all made perfect sense and I was so surprised. It's a story that shines a light on places that rarely get the spotlight in our everyday lives, and it was the first time I'd ever known that such a world existed.
--What are your thoughts on playing Aozawa Karin?
Karin has a mysterious ability to see things as if they are hazy when she senses danger, and she uses that ability at "Amami Real Estate" to launder properties with problems. I myself have no psychic powers at all, and am so insensitive that people around me worry about me and tell me to be careful, but I am so interested in spirits that there was a time when I carried a ghost detector around with me, so it's a lot of fun to play the role.
Also, Karin is the most "tsuntsundere" character I've ever played. She rarely shows any affection and is always tsuntsundere, but that's because she was hurt in the past because of her special ability. In order to protect herself, she doesn't close the distance between her and people and instead builds walls around them.
--About filming in Osaka, where the story is set
I come to Osaka every week for the horse racing broadcast program "Keiba BEAT" (broadcast every Sunday from 3pm on Kansai TV and Nishinippon Net), which I host, but this was my first time to go on a long-term trip to Kansai for a drama shoot, so it's been a very valuable experience. I love the atmosphere of Osaka, so it's a lot of fun.
I was especially nervous on the first day of filming, but the staff who helped me with "Keiba BEAT" were also on the "Laundering" team, so I felt relieved when I saw everyone's faces. The director and staff who I met for the first time were also really kind, and even during the tough filming, they welcomed me so warmly that I was moved every day, and I wished the filming would never end.
The leader of the group, Joichiro Fujiwara, is also very cheerful and makes the set very friendly, which I'm very grateful for. I'm able to act in a homely atmosphere and have a very fulfilling time.
--What are the highlights of the drama?
Horror, suspense, humanity... it's a fascinating series that is packed with various elements, and once you've seen the first episode, you'll want to see more and more. I'm sure there will be something that viewers can feel.
This is the first time I've tried my hand at an action scene in a film. The director personally instructed me on how to move, and I'm having fun while working hard, so I hope you'll check it out!
◇Comment from Ryohei Otani
--How did you feel when you received the offer?
The word "laundering" itself is not something I'm familiar with, and I think that special abilities like "hearing the voices of spirits" are rather unrealistic. I like stories that are part of everyday life, so to be honest, I was not good at getting into it at first because it seemed difficult.
However, one of the privileges of our job is being able to jump into an unrealistic world and experience things that we normally can't. So, this time I accepted the offer with the intention of immersing myself in the theme and having fun.
--What are your thoughts on playing Amami Goro?
I think many people will sense some element of a conman in Amami's appearance and atmosphere from the first episode. Although she is a very dry and ruthless character, she is actually struggling as a human being, and her human side gradually emerges towards the end. Especially in her exchanges with Hiyama and Karin, we see her getting irritated and venting her stress, and we see some emotion in her. I started out with the desire not to make her just a cold person, so I hope that comes out naturally from beginning to end.
Also, I want the viewers to sense some darkness or a gray impression. I think Amami is the one who leads that, so I hope I can make my presence felt in the sense of expressing the tension of this work.
--What are your impressions of your co-stars?
Although it's my first time acting with them, they're just so refreshing.... Especially when Amami enters the room with Hiyama (Fujiwara) and Karin (Sugai), the air becomes stagnant (laughs). She exudes such beauty and purity. I feel every time we do a scene together that I shine because of the presence of the two of them.
In particular, Hiyama (Fujiwara-san) has a lot of power when he expresses his emotions. I don't know if it's because he's young or because he's always performing on stage as an idol, but he exudes a power that you shouldn't touch. There's a scene where I have to calm Hiyama, who is struggling after hearing the voice of a spirit, and when I saw how he expressed his emotions up close, I felt that I shouldn't touch him carelessly. He exudes such energy that I feel how amazing he is.
--About filming in Osaka, where the story is set
I've never shot a drama or a movie in Osaka, so it was a fresh experience. What's more, by coincidence, I passed by my alma mater while filming. The director and I happened to go to the same high school, so that combined with that made it feel strange. I don't often get to film a work in my hometown, so I'm happy, but I still can't believe that I, a high school student back then, am filming a drama here decades later.
--What are the highlights of the drama?
This story begins with Hiyama being able to hear the voices of spirits. I don't think there are many people like that, but I hope viewers will empathize with the story and think about what difficulties they would face, how they would use their abilities to help them, and how they would use them to grow. I felt like I was reading a novel, and every time I received the script I was really curious to find out what would happen next, so I hope everyone will enjoy immersing themselves in the world of "Laundering."
