It was revealed on November 5th that director Yoshida Keisuke's latest film, "Mentor," starring actor Hayato Isomura and popular group Ae! group member Seiya Suezawa, is in the works for a release in the fall of 2026. This will be Suezawa's first lead role in a film.
This is an original work by Director Yoshida, known for his sharp portrayals of humanity, such as "Missing" (2024), "Kuuhaku" (2021), and "Hime Anor" (2016). The project is being planned by Star Sands, which has worked on numerous popular films, including "The Journalist" (2019), which won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Picture. This marks Star Sands' collaboration with Isomura since "Moon" (2019), which won the Best Supporting Actor award at the 47th Japan Academy Prize, and the fourth collaboration with Director Yoshida, following "My Darling Irene" (2018), "Kuuhaku" and "Missing." Filming is scheduled to begin on November 4th and run until mid-December.
The story begins 15 years ago in the summer when two boys, Ryunosuke and Takumi, innocently playing with fire caused the apartment next door to burn down. A man named Nomoto appeared carrying his charred wife. Faced with this scene, the two men's lives came to a halt. Ryunosuke eventually tried to put a lid on his crime and move forward, spending his days as a training athlete, one of the candidates for the Japanese Olympic archery team. Meanwhile, Takumi, still unable to shake the memory of his crime, lived a gloomy life. The two contrasting characters are confronted by the reappearance of the burned man, Nomoto. Far from bearing any resentment, however, he is the epitome of compassion, so gentle that it's almost frightening. Nomoto's eerily gentle words, "You've already atoned," eventually become their mentor.
The actor playing Nomoto, the "mentor" who holds the key to the story, will be announced in the future, but Isomura expressed his expectations, saying, "He's an incredible actor. He will far exceed our expectations," while Suezawa said he was "humbled" and commented, "It's an honor to be working with him."
Comments from Director Yoshida, Isomura, Suezawa, and others are as follows:
◇Full comment from Director and Screenwriter Yoshida Keisuke
I have lost loved ones several times, and each time I was unable to cry properly, and I would feel depressed, thinking that I was a cold-hearted person. A friend told me that everyone grieves in their own way, and that it's not something to compare, which I found comforting.
This story also deals with themes such as guilt, loss, and the differences in how people perceive things. I aim to create a moving story that hits a sore spot that is familiar to readers.
◇Full comment from Hayato Isomura(role of Mashiko Ryunosuke)
I've seen Director Yoshida Keisuke's work for a long time, and I've always wanted to work with him. I've also wanted to try my hand at playing an archery character, so this opportunity was like a miracle, as it was a perfect match of things I wanted to try.
Director Yoshida is very frank and easy to talk to, and I have a feeling that things will be going well on set. I still can't imagine what kind of chemistry will occur, but that's exactly why I'm looking forward to that "uncertainty" and want to cherish the moments that arise on set as I take on the challenge of filming.
◇Full comment from Seiya Suezawa(role of Kamitani Takumi)
This is my first film appearance, and I'm truly honored to be able to take part in a film directed by Yoshida Keisuke as the lead. There is some pressure in facing a role I've never played before, but the joy and determination outweigh it.
This is my first time acting with Isomura-san, but he is very easy to talk to, and I hope we can build a relationship together from here. I hope to absorb as much as I can on set every day, update myself, and put all my effort into making this a great production.
◇About working with an unannounced mentor
Isomura: The actor playing the mentor is truly an incredible actor. I'm excited to see how he'll perform, as I'm sure it will far exceed my imagination, and I can't wait to meet him on set. I hope that we'll be able to receive a lot of inspiration from working together.
Suezawa: I'm not so sure, but I'm very honored to be working with him, and I hope to learn a lot from the atmosphere on set and his acting. I'm really looking forward to seeing how he will appear, including his appearance and demeanor.
