The new cast of the NHK Taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" starring Taiga Nakano, which will be broadcast in 2026, was announced on the NHK Drama Official X (formerly Twitter) on February 3rd, revealing that Shunsuke Daito will be playing the role of Toshiie Maeda.
For Daito, this is his first "Sengoku Taiga" drama, and he revealed his thoughts: "I had the opportunity to appear in my first taiga drama, "Taira no Kiyomori," when I was 25 years old, and at that time, Kiichi Nakai told me, 'Taiga dramas will become the goal of my acting career.' I am approaching this production with the intention of firmly imprinting who I am now, at the age of 40."
"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."
Maeda Toshiie, played by Daito, is a hot-blooded, flashy "kabuki actor," but he is also an accomplished spearman with many military achievements, and is a rival of Hideyoshi's generation as they compete for promotion. He eventually plays a part in the Hokuriku Army as a deputy for Shibata Katsuie, but after Nobunaga's death, Katsuie and Hideyoshi come into conflict. Later, as one of the Five Elders, he supports the Toyotomi government and builds the foundations for the Kaga Domain, known as the Kaga Domain with a fief of one million koku. He is "Hideyoshi's lifelong friend and rival in the race for promotion."
Daito says, "In his youth, he was a mischievous kabuki actor and an expert spearman. He was brave and fearless, and rose to success through physical strength. Even after experiencing major setbacks, he continued to have a burning fighting spirit, and he developed his popularity and intelligence, becoming a key figure who supported the times. I get the impression that he's the kind of man that men look up to. He's the kind of delinquent who is good at fighting in class, but actually he's also good at studying and seems to be a very kind person."
He added, "Of all historical figures, Toshiie is one with many amazing anecdotes that personally give me goosebumps, and he's a man that makes me think, I want to be a man like him! It's an honor, but I'm excited to be able to use my body to embody Toshiie in my acting career."
