It has been revealed that actor Sato Ryuta will be starring in "Shin-Tokyo Water Police," which will be broadcast on Fuji TV's "Tuesday 9" drama slot (Tuesdays at 9 p.m.) in October. This will be Sato's first lead role in a terrestrial TV drama series in 12 years, since "Detarame Hero" (Yomiuri TV) in 2013, and the series will be the first in the history of Japanese drama series to be based on the "Water Police."
Based on the novel of the same name by Yoshikawa Eri, which has been published in five volumes, the story is set in the Tokyo Water Police Station, which existed until 2008, and has been revived as a police station. The Water Police Station team, made up of unique characters including detectives played by Sato and marine technical officers who operate boats, travels around in patrol boats, pursuing various crimes that occur in Tokyo's seas and rivers, making it a "marine x crime entertainment" story. The setting is the Tokyo Bay area, and the Wangan Police Station will also appear as a rival to the Water Police Station.
Sato plays Ikari Takuma, a detective and leader at Tokyo's Mizukami Police Station. He is the head of the violent crimes division, which hunts down dangerous criminals, and has spent his entire 20-year career as a detective at the local precinct. He has no interest in career advancement and seems like a carefree person who usually spends his time cracking jokes, but he has a passionate heart and a strong sense of justice, and always rushes to the aid of his colleagues in trouble. In his private life, he is divorced twice and has three children. However, due to a certain past experience, Ikari suffers from the trauma of a "water phobia," which is fatal for a Mizukami Police detective, but there is a reason why he was transferred to the Mizukami Police Station...
The appearances of Kato Shigeaki and Mizuki Yamashita have also been announced. Kato will play Kusakabe Shun, Ikari's detective partner. Kusakabe is transferred from the elite First Investigative Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department headquarters to the Minakami Police Station against his will. Wanting to return to his former position as soon as possible, he pours his passion into investigating cases in order to achieve success. Kusakabe has been on the path to becoming an "elite" until now, but his partner at the Minakami Police Station, the "intuitive" Ikari, is like oil and water, and they often clash, but by overcoming difficulties together, they grow together and trust each other...
Yamashita plays Arima Reiko, a maritime officer at the Metropolitan Police Department. Maritime officers are not police officers, but specialized police officers who hold boat licenses and protect the safety of the seas and rivers. They are "water professionals" who patrol the waters and read the weather and tides to pilot patrol boats. As a "maritime officer," Arima is often called upon to help with public relations activities for the Metropolitan Police Department. Arima aspires to become a detective, and meeting Ikari brings about a major change in her feelings...
The script is written by Warato Shota, who also wrote "Billion x School" (Fuji TV) and the movie "Incorruptible Sakura," and the show is directed by Nishioka Kazuhiro (Zoku Zoku Second to Last Love 3, Billion x School, etc.) and Yanagisawa Ryosuke (Okura: Unsolved Case Investigation, Dr. Ashura, etc.). The show will start airing on October 7th and will air every week from 9pm. The first episode will be extended by 15 minutes.
◇ Comment from Ryuta Sato
-Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer to work on this film.
When I heard about this project, I first picked up Yoshikawa-sensei's original work, and was so overwhelmed by how fascinating it was that I read it all in one go. I was drawn into the worldview, where large-scale incidents unfold one after the other. Of course, I understand that it would be difficult to film everything, but I felt a sense of determination in the people who took on this project, and I am truly honored that they asked me to take on this role. I would like to work together with the staff and cast to give it my all.
--Please tell us about the appeal of the main character, Ikari.
Ikari is a man who somehow exudes a Showa-era vibe. In the original work, he is portrayed as a reliable presence who doesn't say much and leads the team by example. In this drama version, I think he is a slightly more open character, facing his teammates head-on and leading them with both words and actions. Still, I think Ikari's greatest charm is his "manliness that speaks through his actions," and I wanted to make sure to retain that. He is a clumsy but passionate and straightforward man who shows it through his actions, not his words. I want to portray Ikari like that at key points.
- Regarding the ship scene, which is a major highlight of this film, please tell us about your impressions and any episodes that occurred during filming.
Immediately after filming began, we boarded a boat to shoot at sea. The drama team had only just been formed, so everyone was feeling their way around when they started. Filming in the unusual environment of a boat was a first for many of the staff, and I'm sure there were many anxieties. However, in the harsh conditions under the scorching sun, everyone showed no signs of distress, instead concentrating and sharing ideas as they went about filming. It was inspiring and also a great joy to see them. The climax scene in particular was shot on the boat for three consecutive days, which was quite physically demanding, but I feel that this experience created a sense of unity throughout the entire set. I was shown a little bit of the footage shot at sea, and I was amazed at how powerful it was. The intensity of the energy on set was clearly conveyed on screen. Episodes 1 to 3 of this series correspond to the first volume of the original work, and the story unfolds continuously. Start with episode 3! I highly recommend you watch it!!
- Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the broadcast.
I think we were able to capture some impressive scenes that can only be captured in the special field of Mizukami. Filming is still ongoing, but we will do our best to make the film enjoyable for everyone, so please be sure to check it out!
◇ Shigeaki Kato
-Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer to work on this film.
As you can see from the title, I think the perspective of the "water police" has never been seen before. I was genuinely excited to be able to take part in a police story that focuses on the water.
-Please tell us your impressions after reading the script.
As it is a police drama that unfolds on the water, the script was on such a grand scale that I was surprised and wondered, "Can they really film this?" and "The script is so interesting, but how will they film it?" Filming has progressed quite a bit, and the filming has been so faithful that it makes you wonder, "Is this what it would be like if the crime actually happened?" In particular, the chase on the boat is something I don't think you've seen much in Japanese dramas. As a story, pursuing the truth of the crime is also very interesting, so my heart was warmed when I was reading the script, and even while filming, I can still feel the same impression I had when reading the script, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished product.
--Please tell us what the appeal of the character Kusakabe is.
Kusakabe has a strong desire to succeed, and is transferred from headquarters to the Mizukami Police Station, but he is very unhappy with that, and there are many things he doesn't understand about Chief Ikari, whom he meets there, so their relationship is like oil and water. The contrasting characters of these two are very fascinating, and I am personally looking forward to seeing how Kusakabe, an elite who lives for success, will change throughout the drama.
- Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the broadcast.
"New Tokyo Water Police" is a story about a police station that specializes in water, something that has never been seen before, and there are many scenes that have never been seen in Japanese dramas before, such as full-scale filming and sea chases instead of car chases. I think you will love each of the characters, and it will be a work that will make you want to know what happens next, so please look forward to it!
◇ Mizuki Yamashita
-Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer to work on this film.
I live in Tokyo and see Tokyo Bay on a daily basis, but I had never really thought about the position and history of the "Water Police." After receiving the offer and reading the original work, I thought the characters were really cool, and I was really looking forward to joining the team as a member of the Water Police.
-Please tell us what the appeal of the character Reiko is.
Reiko is a maritime technical officer and is mainly in charge of maneuvering the ship. She has a strong sense of justice and a serious personality, but sometimes she can get a little too carried away. Personally, I think she's such a passionate and straightforward person that it's worrying to watch her.
-Reiko plays a maritime officer. Could you tell us about your impressions and any stories you experienced filming on the ship?
To be honest, it was so hot that I don't remember much about filming on the ship... (laughs). We shot action scenes on the ship and scenes where we had to pilot it, but unlike on land, it was constantly rocking and we were exhausted. All I remember is that under those circumstances, the whole team worked hard as a team! (laughs)
- Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the broadcast.
I am participating in this production and taking on tough filming every day. The other members of the Mizukami Police Station besides these three also have their own unique personalities, so I am looking forward to sharing the charm of the Mizukami Police Station with everyone!
◇ Produced by Kiminori Ohno (Fuji Television Drama and Film Production Center)
"We want to deliver an unprecedented police drama that will keep your heart racing on an overwhelming scale. "New Tokyo Water Police," the first Japanese drama series to feature the "Water Police" in history, was born from that idea. They solve cases by cruising the "Tokyo Seas" on boats. When I first encountered Yoshikawa Eri's original work, I was excited by the setting and felt a sense of urgency at the prospect of bringing it to life on screen. I remember immediately starting research. The Water Police is a real organization. While their roles may differ, the detectives and marine technical officers—investigative professionals and water professionals—clash with each other, confronting violent crime and protecting people's lives. I believe this is a deeply moving human drama and a new hero story."
Starring Ryuta Sato, this marks his first lead role in a Fuji TV drama series. He brings the team together and works with the cast and staff to create a drama that truly reflects the captain's character. You'll find plenty of touching moments thanks to Sato's straightforward and unwavering words as Ikari. Be sure to check out the action scenes on the water, which only Sato could capture. Also starring as Sato's detective partner will be Shigeaki Kato. Kato's knowledge, which he has continually pioneered and challenged in various fields of entertainment, is the driving force behind this crew. He throws himself wholeheartedly into the role of Kusakabe, an elite yet deeply human detective, and is truly captivating. Enjoy the dialogue between Sato and Kato. Additionally, Mizuki Yamashita will play the role of a maritime technical officer, an essential character in the portrayal of the Water Police. Her charming and inner strength of will perfectly embody the heroine, Arima Reiko, a professional on the water. Yamashita-san, playing the role of a navigator steering a ship on the open sea, is a very dignified figure, and is the key visual that symbolizes this work. I am very happy to be able to work with this passionate cast, who will not compromise in any way in order to deliver something good.
Before today's drama information announcement, we actually went out to the seas off Tokyo many times to film. The start of the voyage was by no means smooth sailing, as we were buffeted by the waves and wind, and sometimes suffered from seasickness, expending far more calories than usual filming on land. Despite all that, the entire cast and staff literally worked up a sweat filming, with the sole desire to deliver entertaining drama, and we believe that sweat is evident in the footage. We hope to deliver a new entertainment experience that will make you think you've never seen a police drama like this before. Be sure to tune in to "New Tokyo Water Police," which will air on Tuesdays at 9pm in October, for thrilling moments, a little laughs, and sometimes heartwarming moments!
