The new cast of the NHK Taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" starring Taiga Nakano, which will be broadcast in 2026, was announced on February 3rd on the official NHK drama X (formerly Twitter), and it was revealed that Shun Oguri will appear as Oda Nobunaga. "Toyotomi Brothers!" will be Oguri's 10th taiga drama, having starred in "The 13 Lords of the Shogun" (2022).
Oguri explained the reason for his appearance, saying, "It's only been about three years since I finished ' The 13 Lords of the Shogun,' so I did think about appearing in a taiga drama again at this pace, but the fact that I'd be the first to see the Toyotomi brothers, played by Nakano Taiga and Ikematsu Sosuke, up close outweighed any worries I might have."
"Toyotomi Brothers!" is a success story of hope and dreams depicting the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers who accomplished the great feat of unifying the country with their strong bond, with Hidenaga, the younger brother of "the ruler of Japan," as the main character. The script is written by Hiroyuki Yatsu, who is known for "Naoki Hanzawa" and the TV drama series "Ochoyan."
Nobunaga, played by Oguri, is a charismatic military commander who expanded his territory with bold, innovative strategies and extraordinary leadership, and aimed to unify the country under the slogan "Tenka Fubu." He is the absolute lord of the brothers Koichiro and Tokichirō, who are striving to advance in their careers. He has a bitter past, having murdered his younger brother with his own hand when they were fighting for the head of the family. He is a "lonely charismatic leader who aims to unify the country."
Oguri commented, "Since various interpretations have emerged in recent years, it will always be a mystery what kind of person he really was, but I still believe he must have had a tremendous impact on Hideyoshi and Ieyasu, and I have the impression that he must have been a charismatic person. I read the opening script, and as the description of Nobunaga says, he is portrayed as a 'lonely charismatic man,' and I thought he was portrayed as a cool guy."
This will be his 10th appearance in a taiga drama, and his first in three years since "What Will Ieyasu Do?" (2023).
"I also love historical stories, and the script is created reflecting the interpretations of many different people, and there aren't many other places where a production with 48 episodes can be made over such a long period of time in that world, so I think being involved in it is a stimulating experience, filled with great expectations and anxiety," he said.
