The new cast of the NHK Taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" starring Taiga Nakano, which will be broadcast in 2026, was announced on the official NHK drama X (formerly Twitter) on February 3rd, and it was revealed that Kohei Matsushita will be playing the role of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Matsushita revealed, "When I heard about the role, I was so surprised, happy, and under such pressure that my mind went blank for a moment."
Matsushita continued, "This is a role that has been played by many people before, but I believe that everyone was aiming to create an Ieyasu that no one had ever seen before. Of course, I will approach the role with that same spirit." He added, "However, since the character does not have any answers to begin with, I hope to enjoy it, and I am really looking forward to working with all my wonderful co-stars!"
"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."
Tokugawa Ieyasu, played by Matsushita, is one of the three great heroes of the Sengoku period who put an end to the turbulent times of the Sengoku period and established a world of peace as the first Shogun of the Edo Shogunate. His lord, Imagawa Yoshimoto, was killed by Nobunaga in the Battle of Okehazama, and his fate changed dramatically after that. After Nobunaga's death, Ieyasu stands in the way of the Toyotomi brothers, who aim to unify the country, as their greatest and strongest rival. He is the "strongest rival of the Toyotomi brothers."
Matsushita said, "Tokugawa Ieyasu's humanity, as expressed in the words, 'If the cuckoo does not sing, then I will wait until it does,' at first glance gives the impression of a strange man who listened to the people, worked for peace, and was at the mercy of the times and his position. However, there is no doubt that he is one of the most famous military commanders in Japanese history, and I think that there were many ruthless and brutal aspects to his rise to that position. I would like to play the multifaceted, rugged Ieyasu, who did not just wait, but also survived a turbulent era."
