Timelesz So Matsushima and Shirasu Jin co-star in October's Oshidora Saturday "Dad and Dad's Home Cooking"

It has been announced that So Matsushima of the popular eight-member group "timelesz" will be co-starring with actor Jin Shirasu in the drama "Papa to Chichi no Uchigohan," which will air on TV Asahi's Oshidora Saturday slot (Saturdays at 11pm) starting on October 4th. This will be Matsushima's first lead role in a terrestrial TV drama series, and he will play a delinquent-type single father, a stark departure from his usual calm and gentle image.

The story is based on the manga of the same name (Shinchosha) by Toyoda Yu, who is known for "Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!(commonly known as Cherry Magic)." As the title "Home Cooking" suggests, the delicious food that appears in each episode is a highlight, and the series was ranked second in the gourmet manga category of the "TSUTAYA Comic Awards 2018, chosen by everyone."

This is a family drama about two single fathers living together and struggling to raise their children. Matsushima plays Sengoku Satoshi, a short-tempered, quick-tempered, delinquent-type chiropractor, and Shirasu plays Harumi Masahiro, a kind-hearted manga editor. Sengoku's daughter Airi is played by child actor Tanahashi Nono, and Harumi's son Seiichiro is played by child actor Sakura. Nono and Sakura were selected through auditions.

Regarding his first lead role in a terrestrial television drama series, Matsushima commented, "I was really happy about being the lead, but at the same time, I had many thoughts, like, 'Maybe it's still too early.' But I was really filled with passion and desire for my job as an actor, and it was a time when I wanted to be involved in a variety of different works, so I was grateful to have been offered such a wonderful role at that time."

This will also be his first time playing a father, and he said, "A lot of people have told me they can't imagine me playing a father (laughs). I'm the youngest of the timelesz, so they're like, 'I can't believe Matsushima will be a father!' So, I myself haven't really come up with an image of him yet, but when I read the original work, there were many parts of Sengoku that I could relate to and that connected to me, so I hope I can somehow use those parts as hints to bring me into the role."

He co-starred with Shirasu in the TV Asahi drama "He's Back! Kotaro Lives Alone" which will be broadcast in 2023. "I still had a lot to learn as an actor, so even then I asked him a lot of questions about things I didn't understand and he taught me a lot. I'd like to ask him a lot of questions this time as well, and I'll be as dependent on him as I can (laughs). I hope that we can bring out the best in each other, liven up the show, and create a good chemistry," he said.

Shirasu recalled that when they co-starred in "Kotaro," he thought Matsushima was "an incredibly nice guy!" and commented, "I think that with him, we can make 'Dad and Dad's Home Cooking' something really good. I hope that we can work together to create a great production." He added, "Although it's a personal matter, I myself have had a child, so the timing of this role made me feel even more strongly that I wanted to play this role."