Joichiro Fujiwara:Based on the original work by Jun Keita Machida Machida, Araki Sugo, and Atsushi Ito will also be appearing in their first WOWOW drama and starring in their first lead role.

It has been revealed that actors Keita Machida, Araki Sugo, Atsushi Ito, and Joichiro Fujiwara of the popular group Naniwa Danshi Danshi will star in the omnibus drama "Serial Drama W Ikeido Jun Joichiro Fujiwara'The Bag Shop Inheritance,'" which will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW in December. This will be Fujiwara's first time appearing in a WOWOW drama, and Machida and Sugo's first lead roles in a WOWOW drama.

The story is based on "The Bag Shop's Inheritance" (Bungeishunju), a collection of short stories published by Ikeido between 2005 and 2008, and each story is a human drama with a financial man as the protagonist.

The series is made up of four episodes: "Christmas of the Tenth Year," in which Nagashima Shinji, an employee of Tokyo Daiichi Bank (played by Machida), sees a former president who seems to be doing well despite being left out in the cold after his company went bankrupt, and begins to investigate the truth behind it; "Like Garlic," in which Yamada Hajime, a new employee at the bank (played by Sugo), tries to support a female president who is struggling with cash flow, which he is assigned to for the first time; "Sales Pitch," in which loan manager Kitamura Yukihiko (played by Ito), who is suspicious of the fact that the president of a printing company who has been told by Keihin Bank that the company's loan application has been declined has managed to secure a loan of 50 million yen on his own, investigates the truth behind the company's cash flow; and "The Bag Shop's Inheritance," which depicts the struggles of Ogura Taro (played by Fujiwara), an employee of Minato Shinkin Bank, who comes face to face with the son of the president of a bag shop who has suddenly died, over the inheritance.

Fujiwara, who is making his first appearance and first leading role in a WOWOW drama, said, "This is my first time playing the role of a credit union employee, so I had more difficulty than usual with the phrasing of my lines and the technical terminology. This role is a new challenge for me, so I'm sure I'll be able to show you a Joichiro Fujiwara that you've never seen before. I hope you'll look forward to seeing a side of me that's different from my idol face!"

◇Comment from Keita Machida(voice of Shinji Nagashima in Episode 1, "The Tenth Christmas")

I am truly honored to be able to take on the challenge of creating the worldview of Ikeido Jun's important work. I am very much looking forward to working with director Nishiura Masaki again since "The Fixer." During the costume fitting, we were excited, saying, "Since we have already built a relationship of trust before we start filming, I feel like I will be able to immerse myself even more deeply in the story." There are many familiar faces on the staff, and the atmosphere on set is already warm.

While this work has elements of mystery, I feel that it is also a work that carefully depicts family ties and human emotions. The cast and staff will work together sincerely and do their best to deliver a rich world to the viewers. Please look forward to it.

◇Comment from Araki Sugo (voice of Yamada Hajime in Episode 2, "Like a Mustard Tree")

I was overwhelmed with joy at the thought of being able to appear in a work based on a novel by Jun Ikeido! And even more so, to be playing the lead role! At the same time, I honestly felt a bit anxious about whether I could do it, but when I heard the names of the director, producer, staff, and other wonderful seniors I'd be co-starring with, my feelings changed to a sense of responsibility. Because I have the opportunity to work with such wonderful people, I'm excited to be on board and will just do my best.

In this production, I will be playing a bank clerk, a job I've never done before, but the script is so realistic that it feels like a slice of everyday life, so I think there will be many parts of the production that viewers can relate to, regardless of their position or occupation. Please look forward to episode 2, "Like Acorns," in which I will be appearing!!

◇Comment from Atsushi Ito (Episode 3 "Sales Talk" - role of Yukihiko Kitamura)

I have been given the opportunity to appear in "Sales Talk," a story from Jun Ikeido's novel "The Bag Shop's Inheritance." I believe it is a profound mystery that unfolds in a bank and a local factory, a setting not too far from everyone's hearts. The cast and staff will work together to fully convey Ikeido's worldview, as well as the drama's sense of tension and charm, within the short length of a one-hour drama.

Since I'm the main character, I appear in almost every scene (laughs). I'm looking forward to having fun acting in this drama so that it will be one that you can't take your eyes off of until the very end. Thank you for your support!

◇ Comment from Joichiro Fujiwara(voice of Taro Ogura in Episode 4, "The Bag Shop's Inheritance")

I'm Joichiro Fujiwara, who plays Ogura Taro, and will be starring in episode 4 of WOWOW's drama series W Ikeido Jun Special "The Inheritance of the Bag Shop," titled "The Inheritance of the Bag Shop"!

This is my first time playing the role of a credit union employee, so I had more difficulty than usual with the phrasing of my lines and the technical terms. The story revolves around "inheritance," but please also pay attention to Ogura Taro's sense of justice and warmth towards people.

This role is a new challenge for me, so I'm sure I'll be able to show you a Joichiro Fujiwara that you've never seen before. I hope you'll look forward to seeing a side of me that's different from my idol face!

◇Comment from Jun Ikeido (original author)

"The Bag Shop Inheritance" is by no means a thrilling work. Instead, it is a collection of works that depicts the activities of people hidden in the seemingly mundane everyday life of a downtown area, and tackles issues closer to home.

A new twist has been added to this original work, creating an original drama series. So, what kind of tuning will the video creators apply to turn the story into a film? I look forward to watching it along with the viewers.