It has been revealed that actress Rikka Ihara will be starring in the July drama series "Renai Kinshi" (Yomiuri TV/Nippon TV, Thursdays 11:59pm). Ihara will play the heroine who impulsively kills her ex-boyfriend, while FANTASTICS member Taiki Sato will play her supportive current boyfriend, and Keisuke Watanabe will play a sadistic stalker.
The original work is "Renai Kinshi" (Kadokawa Bunko/Published by KADOKAWA), one of Nagae Toshikazu's "Prohibited Series," which has sold over 350,000 copies. The protagonist, Kimura Mizuho (Ihara), was in high school when he was worried about his parents' remarriage and consulted his homeroom teacher, Kurashima Takashi. The two grew closer and the relationship developed into a romantic one, but Takashi became very controlling and violent towards her. After that, she left her hometown to escape Takashi and moved to Tokyo, where she lived a peaceful life, but two years later, this came to an end when Takashi appeared. Takashi threatened to kill himself if she refused, urging her to get back together, and she impulsively killed him, which caused her fate to start going awry... The drama version has an original ending devised by the original author himself.
Sato plays Shinya Tsuzaka, a childhood friend of Higuchi Madoka, a colleague of Mizuho's. He meets Mizuho through Madoka, and when he sees her troubles, he wants to be her support.
Watanabe plays Hajime Goda, a private investor with a lot of assets who develops feelings for Mizuho after seeing her by chance on the street. However, not knowing how to close the gap, he tails Mizuho and constantly monitors her movements, before he knows it he has become a stalker. He eventually becomes a major customer of Mizuho, working at a real estate company, and gets closer to her...
The drama "Renai Kinshi" will be broadcast every Thursday at 11:59 pm starting July 3rd. There will be 10 episodes in total.
◇Comment from Rikka Ihara
-What were your thoughts when you read the script?
My impression was, "It's interesting!" I had read the original work, but the drama version had many original parts, including the ending, so it gave me even more energy to work hard on such an interesting script.
-What do you keep in mind when playing the role of Kimura Mizuho?
Mizuho, the character I play, is the type who tends to get caught up in things and is rather passive, so in preparing for the role, there are a lot of heavy scenes in between, so I want to make sure I take good care of myself (Ihara Rikka).
--Please tell us your impressions of your co-stars.
Sato-san is "shine". My first impression of him was that he was as dazzling as the sun. He gave me the feeling of orange! This was my second time working with Watanabe-san, so I already knew he was an interesting guy, but one day on set, Watanabe-san was taking a break with his foot on a small step, in a cool pose. It was the first time I'd seen someone taking a break in that pose, so I got to see a new side of Watanabe-san (laughs).
What are you looking forward to on set?
I love a fun set, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the two of them (Sato and Watanabe) will liven up the set!
--Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to this work.
As the name "Romance Horror Suspense" suggests, there are of course romance elements, but also thrilling horror elements. While there are suspenseful elements of wondering how the story will unfold and the truth will turn out, there are also parts of the story that you can empathize with, and I think it's a work that viewers can enjoy watching while thinking about it together, so I hope you will watch it until the end!
◇Comment from Taiki Sato
-What were your thoughts when you read the script?
There were many parts where each character was drawn more strongly than in the original, so I thought I couldn't let myself lose to this script, and more than anything, I thought it was a work where you really don't know the ending until the very end. I thought it was such an interesting script that I kept reading the script.
--About the role of Shinya Tsusaka
He plays a man who has feelings for Mizuho and decides to be the closest person to support her. He's a good-looking guy, and I think it's heartwarming to watch him.
--Please tell us your impressions of your co-stars.
Ihara-san was just like I had seen her on TV, she was really cheerful, and I thought she had the power to give strength to everyone just by being there. This is the first time I've worked with Watanabe-san, and I thought he was a very cool and quiet person, but when I talked to him, I found that to be completely different, and we quickly became good friends, so I'm very encouraged! We haven't filmed the same scene yet, but I'm looking forward to it.
What are you looking forward to on set?
The shoot will be in the summer, so I think it will take a lot of stamina. To get through it, I definitely need snacks! I'm confident that I can bring some unusual snacks (laughs). I'll do my best to bring snacks!
--Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to this work.
Each character has a very unique and strong personality, and I'm sure there will be unexpected developments from the first episode to the last. I hope you'll look forward to it every week!
◇Comment from Keisuke Watanabe
-What were your thoughts when you read the script?
The unexpected developments are really interesting, and I could imagine viewers discussing them on social media when this is made into a drama, so I want people to watch it multiple times and I wanted to create a work that makes them feel that way.
-What do you keep in mind when preparing for the role of Goda Hajime?
The role of Goda is one who has many different expressions while stalking Mizuho and having relationships with many different people. The keyword for my motive is to be pure, so I would like to play the role with care.
--Please tell us your impressions of your co-stars.
Both of them are very cheerful. Ihara-san is always smiling, and just being there brightens up the set. This is my first time meeting Sato-san, but he's already talking to me (laughs). He's telling me all kinds of stories, so to me, both of them are "shiny." I think it's going to be a fun set!
What are you looking forward to on set?
Generally, I'm the type of person who wants to be on a fun set, but because of my role, I'd like to keep a distance from the two of them (laughs) Let's have fun!
--Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to this work.
I think it's a work that allows you to make new discoveries when you look at it from the perspective of various characters. It's a work that you should definitely watch over and over again. I want to work hard with that intention in mind, so I hope you'll watch it in real time!
◇Comment from Toshikazu Nagae, the original author
When I wrote this novel, I never thought it would be made into a TV drama. Moreover, I couldn't be happier to have such a great cast appear and to have the opportunity to direct it. I have been filming every day, as this will be the culmination of my work. We have captured some amazing footage, so I can't wait for everyone to see it. A shocking ending different from the original awaits in this drama. I hope you will look forward to it.
What prompted me to write this work was a frightening dream I had. I dreamed that I had committed some serious crime, like murder, and was being chased by the police, desperately fleeing. I woke up and realized it was just a dream, and felt relieved, but the vivid sensations I experienced during that time were hard to shake. Mizuho, the protagonist of this work, is also forced into a nightmarish situation and struggles in agony. What on earth is happening to her? What will become of her as she falls into the hell known as "love"?! Please watch this drama and solve the mysteries hidden in all 10 episodes.
◇Comment from Producer Koji Hirota
While working on a horror drama project with Nagae-san, the author of the cult hit "Broadcast Prohibited" and other "Prohibited" series, who will also be the director this time, we came up with "Love Prohibited," which will be broadcast in the Thursday Platinum Night slot in July. Although the original work is in the horror genre, it is based on the obsession with love that everyone has, and is a full-length novel that depicts the "karma of love," featuring characters who go astray because of that obsession.
This time, we had Nagae, the original author, join the script discussion, and while making use of the creepy atmosphere of the original, we built up a fast-paced development in which people who corner the main character, Mizuho, appear one after another around her in the drama. And the scriptwriter, Erika Toyama, carefully yet boldly spun lines that charmingly color the characters who each pursue, pursue, and are cornered in the "love" they believe in.
The characters are tossed about by various events because of their love, making them feel heartbreaking. Ihara Rikka plays the tough role of Kimura Mizuho, who impulsively kills her ex-lover in the first episode, and she leads the set every day. Taiki Sato, with such kindness that it is hard not to respect him, and Keisuke Watanabe plays the stalker Goda, who holds the key to the story, with a fun yet serious attitude. In addition to these three, other characters who struggle with too strong love will appear one after another, so please look forward to it.
And like the works of the "Kin" series, there are also hidden elements that can be enjoyed as a mystery, such as foreshadowing and subtle clues to the truth. I hope you will enjoy watching it over and over again and finding them. The ending that awaits you at the end is a completely original drama that differs from the original work.
The ending will surprise you, so be sure to check it out!
