Trailer and other cuts released for the drama "Stove League" starring Kazuya Kamenashi.

A trailer and some behind-the-scenes photos for the drama "Stove League," starring Kazuya Kamenashi, which will be broadcast and streamed on Lemino and WOWOW starting March 28, were released on the 6th.

"Stove League" is a remake of the drama of the same name that aired on South Korea's SBS in 2019 and achieved a peak viewership rating of 20.8%. It depicts the struggles of the team's front office staff, including a general manager with no baseball experience, as they attempt to rebuild a professional baseball team that is perpetually at the bottom of the standings.

The Japanese version is a joint Japan-Korea project produced by Studio S, a drama studio under the South Korean SBS Media Group, and NTT Docomo Studio & Live. Kamenashi plays Jun Sakurazaki, the new general manager of the perpetually last-place professional baseball team "Dreams," despite having no prior baseball experience. Neru Nagahama, Nomura Mansai plays So Negishi, the team president who stands in Sakurazaki's way, and Itao Itsuji plays Katsumi Nishida, the manager who leads the Dreams.

Other cast members include Shono Hayama, Zen Kajiwara, Masaya Kimura from "INI", Ryo Katsuji, Ayame Goriki, and Kotaro Yoshida. The director is Toichiro Ruto, who worked on the TV series and theatrical film "Ossan's Love".

The trailer, released on the official YouTube channel, opens with a line from the team's GM, Jun Sakurazaki (Kamenashi), expressing his determination: "What's about to begin is a life-or-death battle." Text overlays appear, hinting at the numerous obstacles that will stand in Sakurazaki's way as he attempts to reform: draft fraud, bribery allegations, players being cut from the team, salary negotiations, the dark side of star players... Meanwhile, the team president, So Negishi (Nomura), declares, "I'm disbanding the Dreams." Will a bright future await this perpetually last-place, deficit-ridden team...?

Another shot shows the new GM, Sakurazaki, and the team president, Negishi, facing off against the backdrop of the stadium. Sakurazaki is pushing for the team's reconstruction, while Negishi is trying to use him to disband the team. What awaits these two men with differing motives? The visual foreshadows the intense team reform that is about to begin and the battles that will unfold along the way.

"Stove League" will premiere on Lemino and WOWOW on March 28th at 1 PM. It will consist of 8 episodes.

◇Synopsis

The Dreams, a professional baseball team that has been perpetually at the bottom of the league, are on the verge of collapse due to internal power struggles and players making repeated defensive errors. The task of rebuilding the Dreams is entrusted to Jun Sakurazaki, the general manager (GM) with no baseball experience. Although he has no experience playing the sport, he is known as a "championship maker" who has led multiple sports teams to victory.

Sakurazaki, determined to get to the root of the problem, clashes with players and front office staff, but he implements one unconventional reform after another. His first decision is to trade a star player who is practically a symbol of the team. What is victory? What is a team? He confronts these questions, involving not only the players but also the team staff.