It was revealed on March 3rd that actors Jun Shison and Kishii Yukino will co-star in the new NTV Wednesday drama "Love is Darkness" (Wednesdays 10pm), which will begin airing on April 16th. This will be the first time the two have starred together in the "ultimate love mystery" with a completely original script. This will also be the first time for both actors to star in a drama in the network's golden or prime time slot (7pm-11pm). This will also be the revival of the Wednesday 10pm drama slot on the network for the first time since "Nursing Aide At Your Side" in January 2024.
The production staff behind "Your Turn to Kill" (2019) and "The Real Culprit Flag" (2021-22) will be in charge of the script. The script will be written by Mako Watanabe, who has worked on a wide range of stories, from romance stories such as "Love Lasts Forever" (2020), "Look at Me, Mukai-kun" (2023), and the movie "10 Years Left to Live" (2022), to suspense stories such as "Voice 110 Emergency Control Room CALLBACK" (2019).
In "Love is Darkness," a series of horrific murders occur in Tokyo, and information program director Manami Tsutsui (played by Kishii) meets a mysterious man, Hiroki Shitara (played by Shison), at the scene of the investigation. Shitara is a freelance writer for a weekly magazine, and is a famous reporter who named the serial murders "The Eye of Horus Murders." The two men have completely different reporting stances, but as they work together, they gradually become attracted to each other... and so the story unfolds.
The main character, Shitara Hiroki, a freelance writer for a weekly magazine who may be a serial killer, is played by Shison, while Kishii plays Tsutsui Manami, a TV information program director who becomes intensely attracted to Hiroki.
Comments from Shison, Kishii and others are as follows.
◇Comment from Jun Shison
When I was approached by Producer Suzuma (Hiroe) and Director Komuro (Naoko), who I had worked with seven years ago, I was very happy and excited to show how much I had grown. However, when I thought about it seriously, I was worried about the responsibility of being the lead and the fact that I would be appearing in a drama series for two consecutive seasons, and I was troubled.
However, before accepting the offer, I met with everyone on a number of occasions, and I was really impressed by their passion for their work and their determination to make something interesting no matter what, so I made up my mind.
I will do my best to bring you a heart-pounding love story that will keep you on the edge of your seat with every episode, and sometimes make you think.
I'm sure you'll see a Jun Shison you've never seen before! I look forward to it!
◇Comment from Yukino Kishii
Just walking down the street or riding the train, we are bombarded with so much information that it can become difficult to see the truth. This is a drama that depicts the pursuit of the truth and faith in humanity.
What we see is not the only truth, and I believe that even if we change the way we look at the truth, other realities will emerge.
I believe that life and people have many layers, and that we can only learn something from them by carefully tracing them without giving up.
Is your loved one a serial killer? This drama revolves around such a big incident, but the core of it is universal love, trust, and pursuit. I'll do my best to make it an enjoyable show on Wednesdays at 10pm! Thank you.
◇ Hiroe Suzuma Producer
We are now in an age where it is becoming increasingly difficult to know the "truth." To be honest, there are times when I myself feel like I understand something just from information on the internet, and when I think, "What if this is all nonsense...?", it makes me shudder. What you see is not necessarily the "truth." I hope that everyone who watches this work will feel that same "shiver." The real culprit, as well as each of the characters, use different faces, so please try to figure out what the "truth" is!
I am also very happy to be able to create this production with two truly wonderful leading actors! Shison-san was still in his early 20s when we worked together last time, but he was a truly reliable leader, with great passion for the work and great expressiveness. This spring, he turns 30, and I am sure he will be able to play the charming and mysterious protagonist, Kouki, in a mature and charming way! Kishii-san is also a charming and strong-willed actor, and I really wanted to work with him again. I offered him the role, as I thought he would be able to use his overwhelming acting ability to turn Mankin, who is at the mercy of Kouki and struggles, into a highly relatable heroine!
As you follow the love story between Hiroki, who "doesn't tell the truth," and Mankin, who "want to know the truth," and the mystery surrounding the incident, I hope you'll think, "What would I do if I were in that situation?" The wonderful cast and staff will work together to deliver an interesting series with all their might, so I hope you will enjoy it!
