It was revealed on May 21st that actor Taishi Nakagawa, which will begin airing on July 19th (broadcast and streaming on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand on Sundays at 10pm, 6 episodes in total). Yuri Tsunematsu and Maki Sakai will also appear in the series.
This film is a crime thriller set in a world that is an extension of reality, revolving around a mysterious entity called ALIUS. The serial murders begin when a gruesome murder victim is found in an underground parking garage with four knives stuck in their throat. Then, mysterious phrases such as "ALIUS LAB" and "They control Homo sapiens" are discovered one after another around the victims... While it is a thrilling entertainment that depicts the unfolding of the serial murders, it also has aspects of a social drama that sharply examines the fragility and contradictions of the "advanced society" that humanity has built.
Nakagawa, Tsunematsu, and Sakai will play the main characters surrounding Shogo Sano, a detective in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's First Investigation Division, played by the lead actor Sasaki.
Nakagawa plays Toru Kanzaki, a researcher seconded from the National Research Institute of Police Science to the First Investigation Division, who joins Sano and his team in their investigation. He delivers a passionate performance as a researcher whose pure curiosity and sharp intellect lead him to a bold hypothesis that connects to the truth of "ALIUS." Nakagawa himself says that this work is "not just a social suspense drama," and that the role of Kanzaki was such an appealing character that he thought, "I absolutely want to play this role!" from the moment he read the script.
Tsunematsu plays Anna Hasumi, a detective in the First Investigation Division who works alongside Sano as his right-hand woman, tackling difficult cases together. Hasumi supports Sano as a calm and collected partner, but also becomes a key character who brings about unexpected developments in the latter half of the story. Tsunematsu also said that when she read the script, "I was drawn to the story because it had a setting I had never encountered before," and expressed her satisfaction with the rich world of the show, saying, "It's a work where 30 minutes (per episode) feels like it flies by in an instant."
Sakai plays Tatsumi Kaoru, Sano's ex-wife who left him three years ago without giving any reason. Why did Kaoru, a former police officer, have to disappear...? That period of absence still casts a deep shadow over Sano's heart. Sakai brings to life the enigmatic woman who holds the "biggest key" in this story with her solid acting skills. Sakai said that she felt the appeal of this work as a profound human drama, and described it as "a story that seems a little far from our daily lives, but is actually right next to us."
Along with this, a Teaser trailer from the main film has also been unveiled. The 30-second video is full of tension and captures an unsettling atmosphere, depicting Sano (Sasaki), Kanzaki (Nakagawa), Hazumi (Tsunematsu), and others getting closer to a mysterious entity called "ALIUS" as they investigate a series of gruesome murders.
The full comments from Nakagawa, Tsunematsu, and Sakai are as follows:
◇Comment from Taishi Nakagawa
I was completely engrossed in the script, captivated by the numerous betrayals and unexpected twists.
I'm sure you'll all have the same feeling we had when we first encountered this work: "Wait a minute... this doesn't seem to be just another social suspense drama..."
And the "other element" that this work possesses, which makes it more than just a simple police drama, is the core of this work, and the biggest challenge this time was how to make that element convincing.
I know this probably won't give you any idea, but that's okay (laughs).
The role of Toru Kanzaki was so appealing that from the moment I read the script, I thought, "I absolutely want to play this role!"
From the preparation stage to the filming period, the time I spent with him was very inspiring, and I was able to learn a lot as an actor.
I hope you'll look forward to it until it airs!
◇Comment from Yuri Tsunematsu
I personally enjoy watching crime thrillers, so I was very happy to receive this offer and read the script with great excitement.
When I first read the script, I was captivated by the story's setting, which was unlike anything I had ever encountered before.
Since it was a completely original script, I enjoyed the process of creating it while discussing the details of the story with director Yamamoto (Daisuke), Sasaki-san, and Nakagawa-san, asking things like, "Should it be like this, or like that?"
The story is serious, but the atmosphere on set was very calm.
This is a show where 30 minutes will fly by in no time! It's a must-see, especially for fans of suspense. Please look forward to the broadcast!
◇Comment from Maki Sakai
After reading the project proposal and script, I felt that the story, while seemingly far removed from our daily lives, was actually very close to us, and I was drawn to the original story that depicted a profound human drama.
I was also very happy to be able to work with Kuranosuke Sasaki again after such a long time.
There were many sad scenes, but the director and staff were always cheerful and kind, so I actually looked forward to going to the set.
Thanks to the efforts of the director, staff, and the wonderful cast, I believe we have created a truly captivating film.
This work made me think about what it truly means to be human. It's a story that makes you feel the preciousness of human existence itself, through the portrayal of human love, the suffering that arises from that love, and the weaknesses and imperfections that come with it, as well as the characters' earnest efforts to live on despite everything.
◇Story
Shogo Sano (played by Sasaki), a detective in the Metropolitan Police Department's Investigation Division, is a solitary figure who will stop at nothing to solve a crime. The sudden departure of his ex-wife, Kaoru, three years ago, left a deep wound in his heart. One day, the body of a neurosurgeon is discovered in an underground parking lot in Tokyo, with four knives stuck in his throat. There are many suspicious circumstances surrounding the victim's movements, and Sano, along with his partner Anna Hazumi and Toru Kanzaki, who is on secondment from the National Research Institute of Police Science, begins their investigation.
However, the situation takes a dramatic turn with the emergence of a second victim. The inexplicable traces left at the scene seem to encroach upon a realm that defies scientific explanation. Eventually, an unknown entity called "ALIUS" emerges. What is the hidden intention behind it? What is the perpetrator's motive? Questioning common sense, where fear and intellect intersect, a shocking conclusion awaits.
