It has been revealed that actor Riko Fukumoto and Kyohei Takahashi of the popular group " Naniwa Danshi " will star in the serial drama W-30 "Strobe Edge," scheduled to be broadcast and distributed on WOWOW this fall. This will be Fukumoto's first appearance in a WOWOW original drama in about four years since "Serial Drama W: The Karei Naru Clan" (2021), and Takahashi's first time. This will be the first leading role for both of them.
The original work is the manga of the same name by Io Sakisaka, who is known for " Ao Haru Ride" and "Love Me, Love Me Not", and this is the first time it has been adapted into a TV series. The production team behind the TV series W-30 "Ao Haru Ride Season 1/Season 2" (all episodes now available on WOWOW On Demand), which was broadcast and streamed on WOWOW from 2023 to 2024 and became a huge hit, has reunited. The main director is Masato Kimura. The script is by Sayaka Kuwamura, and the music is by Masaru Yokoyama.
In order to fully depict the charm of the original story, which spans 10 volumes, it has been decided that the series will be broadcast and distributed in two parts, Season 1 and Season 2. A super Teaser trailer has also been released, which is packed with memorable scenes and famous lines from the original work.
◇Story
Kinoshita Ninako (Fukumoto), an honest and gentle high school student, lives her days without yet knowing the feeling of love. One day, on the train home, she meets her classmate Ichinose Ren (Takahashi), and gradually becomes attracted to Ren's hidden kindness. Ninako feels a pain as if something has been stabbed in her chest, but her feelings for Ren begin to grow stronger day by day... Eventually, Ninako realizes that her feelings are "love," and she makes up her mind to tell Ren how she feels, but...
◇Comment from Riko Fukumoto
<How did you feel when your appearance was decided>
I never dreamed that I would be able to participate as Kinoshita Ninako in Strobe Edge, a manga that I loved to read as a student, which is right in the middle of my youth, so I was very happy and surprised at the same time. This is my second time working with Sakisaka-sensei, and I was very honored to be able to work with her again. And I think it's a great privilege to be able to convey the charm of the original work to everyone in this two-part series, which is something only WOWOW can do.
<Atmosphere on set / Acting alongside Kyohei Takahashi>
The director and all the other staff members are a wonderful team who are carefully filming. I tried to preserve the famous scenes and lines from the original work while also carefully expressing each and every emotion, so as not to overlook the small sparks hidden in everyday life.
Takahashi-san is the complete opposite of Ren-kun; he's a cheerful, humorous and kind person who always lightens up the atmosphere on set.
<Message to viewers/fans of the original work>
The cast and staff came together to create the drama "Strobe Edge" with great respect for this work, which has been loved by many people since its initial serialization.
What is love? What is love? This is a work that carefully depicts the accumulation of each and every emotion.
I think that through this video, you will be able to experience the wind and the smells that come from invisible feelings.
Please look forward to the broadcast of this authentic youth love story, the origin and pinnacle of the genre. I'm sure it will be enjoyed by people of all ages. Please look forward to it.
◇Comment from Kyohei Takahashi
<How did you feel when your appearance was decided>
I was already familiar with the incredibly popular series "Strobe Edge," and playing the character of "Ichinose Ren" meant there were many parts that linked with me, so it was a lot of fun to play the role, and frankly, I was very happy.
<The atmosphere on set / Acting alongside Riko Fukumoto>
It was my first time acting with Fukumoto-san, but since we are both from Kansai, I felt very reassured and was able to enjoy filming. He is also a very cheerful person, and I was very grateful that he responded to my jokes with the same level of excitement.
<Message to viewers/fans of the original work>
There was a lot of pressure in adapting such a popular original work into a live-action film, and when I was playing the role of Ren Ichinose, I was worried about how I should act, but at that time I read the original work again and tried to act using the same movements and gestures as reference. So, I think there will be scenes where you'll think, "Oh, that movement. It's the same as in the original," so I hope you'll look forward to those parts as well.
This drama is packed with the youthfulness that is unique to "Strobe Edge." I think it will really resonate with today's junior and senior high school students and teenagers, and I think it will bring back fond memories of the older generation's youth, so I would love for everyone to watch this work.
◇Comment from original author Io Sakisaka
<How did you feel when it was decided that your drama would be made on WOWOW, following "Ao Haru Ride">
I was very surprised when I heard that a work that had been completed 15 years ago would be adapted into a TV drama. But when I heard that the staff who produced "Ao Haru Ride," such as screenwriter Kuwamura-san and director Kimura, were reuniting for this work, I felt that it would definitely be a great drama, so I decided to leave this work in their hands. I was also happy that the two wonderful leading actors took on the roles of Ninako and Ren!
<Message to fans of the original work and viewers>
I was moved and inspired by seeing the filming staff and cast members on set, as they worked creatively to bring the world of Strobe Edge and the shojo manga to life on film! I hope that fans of the original work will enjoy watching Ninako and her friends' story again with a fresh perspective. And for viewers who have discovered Strobe Edge through the drama, I encourage them to also check out the manga. I'm really looking forward to seeing Director Kimura's crystal clear images. Let's watch it live together!
