"Drama 1 Week" brings together the most important drama news from the past week. This week (September 20th to 26th) featured the "baton-passing" ceremony between the heroines of NHK's morning drama series, and the announcement that the theme song for the drama series "Moshigaku," written by Koki Mitani , will be a new song written by the music duo YOASOBI called "Gekijo." We'll cover these topics in two parts.
On September 20th, it was announced that Tokio Emoto will be appearing in the NHK morning drama " Bakebake, " starring Akari Takaishi, which will begin airing on September 29th in the second Asadora of 2025. This will be Emoto's first appearance in a Asadora in 14 years, since "Ohisama" in the first half of 2011. He will play Yamahashi Saiji, the owner of Yamahashi Pharmacy, the only imported goods store in Matsue. Toki (Takaishi) and Heaven (Tommy Bastow) become frequent customers. Yamahashi also has a "hidden side" to his role as store owner. Emoto expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "I'm honored to be appearing in a Asadora after such a long time. I will do my best to act in a role that will be memorable for everyone."
On the 21st, it was announced that Takuya Kusakawa of the dance and vocal group Bullet Train will star in the drama series "Hell is Made of Good Intentions" (Kantele/Fuji TV), which begins airing on October 16th. This is Kusakawa's first lead role in a Kantele drama, and he plays an ex-offender living in loneliness and despair. Ex-offenders who have been harshly scrutinized by society due to past mistakes and lead miserable lives are caught in a cruel trap during a "rehabilitation program" that offers a chance to start their lives over. This is a gripping human suspense story in which each individual's conflicts and regrets become intricately intertwined. Kusakawa plays Takamura Itsuki, who has a complicated upbringing and has led a difficult life, isolated from society. Due to a certain incident, he is sentenced to prison for assault. He is released two years later, but is at a loss as to how to reintegrate into society, when he is invited to participate in a rehabilitation program. The drama airs every Thursday at 12:15am on Kansai TV and every Thursday at 12:45am on Fuji TV.
On the 21st, it was announced that the theme song for the Fuji TV drama series "Moshigaku" (If This World Were a Stage, Where Would the Dressing Room Be?), written by Koki Mitani and starring Masaki Suda, will be a new song written by the music group YOASOBI called "Gekijou." This marks the first time YOASOBI has provided music for a drama series, and it also marks the first time that Ayase has participated on vocals. The drama is a youth ensemble set in Shibuya in 1984, with a completely original story that includes semi-autobiographical elements from Mitani. It depicts the struggles, setbacks, and sometimes romantic relationships of young people who are still inexperienced in a corner of Shibuya, a bustling center of youth culture, in the full force of Mitani's "world." This is Mitani's first primetime commercial drama in 25 years, and it will be directed by Masaki Nishiura, known for "Code Blue." The drama will begin airing on October 1st. The first episode will be extended by 30 minutes.
On the 22nd, it was announced that actors Keita Machida , Araki Sugo, Atsushi Ito, and Joichiro Fujiwara of the popular group Joichiro Fujiwara will star in the omnibus drama "Serial Drama W: Jun Ikeido Special 'The Naniwa Danshi Shop Inheritance,'" which will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW in December. This will be Fujiwara's first appearance in a WOWOW drama, while Machida and Sugo will be starring in their first WOWOW dramas. The series is based on Ikeido's "The Bag Shop Inheritance" (Bungeishunju), a collection of short stories published by Ikeido between 2005 and 2008. All four episodes feature financial professionals as protagonists. The series is comprised of four parts: "The Tenth Year Christmas" starring Machida, "Like a Mustard Seed" starring Sugo, "Sales Talk" starring Ito, and "The Bag Shop Inheritance" starring Fujiwara.
On the 22nd, it was announced that the NHK Taiga drama "Shinsengumi!" (2004), starring actor Shingo Katori, will premiere on NHK On Demand on September 29th. "Shinsengumi!" is the first Taiga drama scripted by Koki Mitani. It depicts the youthful ensemble of Shinsengumi chief Kondo Isami (played by Katori), who maintained peace in Kyoto during the late Edo period and lived with faith in the future until the very end, and his companions. At the time of its broadcast, Mitani openly stated, "When I look back on it in 20 years, it will be an all-star cast," and the series features a star-studded cast including Koji Yamamoto(as Hijikata Toshizo), Fujiwara Tatsuya (as Okita Soji), and Sakai Masato (as Yamanami Keisuke).
On the 23rd, the "baton-passing" ceremony for the NHK Asadora drama series was held at the NHK Osaka Broadcasting Station (Chuo-ku, Osaka City). Mio Imada, the heroine of the currently airing "Anpan," and Mio Imada Akari Takaishi , who stars in " Bakebake ," which starts on the 29th, attended. Imada passed the baton to Takaishi. Takaishi commented, "Above all, I'm really happy to be passing the baton to Imada. When I met him before, he was so warm and kind, and I was so supported by him, so I'm happy to feel like he's supporting me again this time." Imada also offered her encouragement, saying, "Looking back, the year of filming really went by in the blink of an eye, but it's still a long time, so please eat plenty, sleep well, and stay healthy in mind and body. Eat plenty, sleep well, and do your best."
