It has been revealed that popular group ABC-Z member Shota Totsuka and actress Ayaka Konno will co-star in the drama series "If I Were Loved by My Yakuza Boss," which will begin airing on the Dramaism slot (MBS/TBS) on July 22nd.
The story is based on "If My Yakuza Boss Loved Me: Living Together with a Cold-Hearted Boyfriend," written by Nao Mashiro and illustrated by @R. Makoto puts an end to her cohabitation with her selfish and self-centered boyfriend Hayato after he cheats on her, but at the same time, she loses her home. Odagiri, the department manager who is known as the "Yakuza Boss" within the company for his cold-heartedness, lends her a hand and she ends up living with him at his house until she finds a new place to live. Odagiri shows a sweet face that is unexpectedly sweet and toying with Makoto, but in fact, he has a hidden identity as the young boss of a yakuza gang... This is a sweet, dangerous, heart-pounding love story.
Tozuka commented, "I want to enjoy this project so that I can spend a wonderful time with the director, staff, and co-stars. And above all, I will do my best to respect the original work and make it a live-action version, so please look forward to it."
Konno said, "I read the original work with bated breath, wondering what would happen in each episode, and I hope to act carefully while feeling Makoto's background so that everyone watching the drama can enjoy it in the same way."
Dramaism "If Your Yakuza Boss Loves You" will be broadcast on MBS every Tuesday at 12:59 a.m. starting July 22nd, and on TBS every Tuesday at 1:28 a.m. starting the same day.
◇Comment from Shota Totsuka
What do you really want to protect? If there are two or more things you want to protect, but you can only protect one of them, reading the script made me wonder if I have the resolve and courage to choose one of them. I think that everyone has another, private self inside of them, separate from the way they behave within the society or community they belong to. I hope that after going back and forth between doubting and believing in themselves and struggling with the conflict, they will be able to accept that both are their true selves.
I want to enjoy working on this film so that I can spend a wonderful time with the director, staff, and co-stars. And above all, I will do my best to respect the original work as a live-action version, so please look forward to it.
◇Comment from Ayaka Konno
I am very honored to be able to play the lead role again. I read the original story with excitement, wondering what would happen in each episode, and I hope to perform carefully while feeling Makoto's background so that everyone watching the drama can enjoy it in the same way.
Filming is just about to begin, so I myself am very excited to see how the scenes that haven't yet appeared in the original work turn out. Please look forward to the broadcast!
◇Original work: Nao Mashiro
Since I heard that it would be made into a TV drama, things have been moving at a furious pace, and it took me a while to understand what was going on. I was working quietly with the personal goal of publishing my work as a book, but I never dreamed that the day would come when it would be made into a live-action film. It's all thanks to the readers who read Yakuza Boss, the editors who push me with both carrot and stick, and above all, @R-sensei, who continues to draw manga with incredible writing speed and beautiful illustrations.
When adapting it for the TV series, I told them, "As long as the fundamental, important parts remain the same, you're free to make changes," and they created a wonderful script that captured that intention...! I hope you'll enjoy the TV series "Yakuza Boss" while comparing the differences with the manga and the original work. I'm grateful to all the people involved in this series, and I'm really looking forward to the broadcast!
◇Comment from @R
Congratulations! It's been made into a drama! Congratulations!
I am very happy to have had the valuable experience of having a work I was involved in made into a live-action drama! I would like to express my sincere gratitude and congratulations to the original author, the editors, and all the people involved. I hope you will continue to support "Yakuza Boss," which has been made into a live-action drama from the original novel and manga! I am looking forward to it too!
