On October 20th and 26th, dance and vocal group "FANTASTICS" members Taiki Sato and Keito Kimura, along with actor Ryo Kato, toured the streets of Shibuya, Tokyo, on a bus to promote the drama series "Masked Ninja Akakage" (TV Asahi, Sunday midnight 12:10, Kanto local), which begins airing on the 26th. "Three ninjas and a giant toad have appeared in Shibuya!" they shouted, waving to the fans from the bus that appeared in the streets of Shibuya, eliciting cheers of "Kyaa!"
The "three ninjas" Sato, who plays Akakage, Kimura, who plays Aokage, and Kato, who plays Shirokage, dressed in their costumes, boarded a "live bus" with a view of the interior along with a giant toad that appears in the play, and drove around Shibuya Scramble Crossing and Miyashita Park.
Despite it being a weekday afternoon, many fans had gathered in Shibuya, and Sato beamed, "I'm so happy! It was forecast to rain, but thanks to you all, it's sunny!" Kimura said, "Thanks to today, I think a lot of people will get to know 'Akakage'," and Kato was amazed at the two's ability to draw in customers, saying, "Amazing...!"
Regarding the bus initiative, Sato said, "It was my first experience, but it was so much fun that I got addicted! Filming is currently in full swing, but I'm even more motivated now." He also promoted the drama, which will be broadcast late on Sunday night, saying, "It's a new hero that everyone will look up to. It's a drama that will give you energy to start Monday!"
The drama is based on a ninja manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday (Shogakukan) by Yokoyama Mitsuteru from 1966 to 1967. Set in the Warring States period, it depicts the exploits of the "ninja" who supported Oda Nobunaga behind the scenes as he sought to unify the country. Directed by Miike Takashi, it will feature monsters rendered using VFX, and will be a coming-of-age tale of young ninjas living in the darkness of the Warring States period, as well as nonstop ninja action.
