It has been revealed that actress Rino Katase and Issei Mamehara of the global boy group "JO1" will co-star in the July drama series "Couple and 16-Year-Old ~The Mad Neighbor~" (TV Tokyo, Thursdays at 12:30am). Katase will play the role of a "61-year-old woman" who considers herself a "16-year-old beauty" and falls in love at first sight with her married neighbor, played by Mamehara.
The original work is a manga of the same name by Pumpkin, which is currently being serialized independently on the manga app "Shonen Jump+", and is a noteworthy work that was selected by readers in "Jump Rookie!"'s "Serialization Competition Ranking" for its shocking story of love and obsession that begins with falling in love at first sight with a married person.
Hiroshi Nomura (played by Mamehara), a kind-hearted and handsome office worker, and his cheerful and energetic wife, Sae Nomura, a former hostess, were enjoying their newlywed life in a small apartment. However, Yoshiko Shiraishi (played by Katase), who moved into the apartment next door, fell in love with Hiroshi at first sight. Hiroshi felt a sense of security, almost like having a mother, from the devoted Yoshiko who visited his apartment almost every day to help with housework and nurse him when he was sick, but he was also frustrated by the occasional misunderstandings in their conversations and his bewildered reactions to her inexplicable behavior.
Miko was increasingly drawn to Hiro's kindness, but she had a secret. Miko was actually a 61-year-old woman who considered herself a 16-year-old beauty. Even though she knew he was married, Miko attacked the Nomura couple with every kind of romantic scheme imaginable, thinking, "If I love him, I'll just take him," and her innocence began to run wild... and that's how the story unfolds.
"The Couple and the 16-Year-Old: The Mad Neighbor" will air every Thursday at 12:30 AM starting July 2nd.
◇Comment from Rino Katase
Looking back to when I was 16, I feel like I was living a sparkling, dreamlike life. I've been given the opportunity to portray the desires that women of the Showa generation secretly harbor somewhere in their hearts, through the character of Miko-chan. This is a character unlike any I've played before in my acting career. I'm sure I'll be the oldest on set, but the character I'm playing will be the youngest. This is a challenge for the summer of 2026. I hope to blow away the tropical nights with this. Please look forward to it.
◇Comment from Issei Mamehara(JO1)
I was so happy to be appearing in a drama again after such a long time. At the same time, after reading the script and project proposal, I realized it was a type of work I'd never done before, and I'm really excited. I'll do my best to portray Nomura Hiro's clumsy and immature side, as well as his kind side.
