It has been announced that the drama series "Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden" (WOWOW), starring Yuji Oda, will begin airing on February 15, 2026. It has also been revealed that actors Shinnosuke Mitsushima and Haru will appear in the series. Mitsushima will play Yang Zhi, a proud warrior nicknamed the "Blue-Faced Beast," and Haru will play Yang Zhi's wife, Ji Renmei.
The film is based on the monumental historical epic novel "Suikoden" series (19 volumes, Shueisha Bunko) written by Kitakata Kenzo. It is a reconstruction of "Suikoden," considered one of the three great Chinese classics, and has sold over 11.6 million copies. It is the first of the "Great Suikoden" trilogy, which will be followed by "Yang Lingden" and "Yue Feiden."
The story is set in China at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty (early 12th century). It is a tale of rebellion by "outcasts" who lament the corruption of the world and seek justice even if it means breaking the law. It is a grand ensemble drama that depicts the "will to resist unreasonable power" and "bonds with friends," which are still relevant today.
Mitsushima plays Yang Zhi, a descendant of the founding hero Yang Ye, nicknamed the "Blue-Faced Beast" because of the large blue birthmark on his face. Wielding the famous Suimouken sword, he was once an elite who served the emperor as an officer in the Imperial Guard, but after meeting Song Jiang (Oda), Chao Gai (Sorimachi Takashi), and Lin Chong (Kazuya Kamenashi), he finds himself torn between his own belief in justice and his own conflict with the corrupt system.
Haru plays Ji Renmei, Yang Zhi's wife and mother to the orphaned Yang Ling. She is a woman of both warmth and strength. Having lost her beloved family at a young age, she has lived a sad life, but when she meets Yang Zhi while working at a brothel, she takes in Yang Ling, who, like herself, is now all alone and alone in the world.
It has also been revealed that Iwakawa Haru will play Yang Ling, a young boy who appears in the story as a "family member" of Yang Zhi and Ji Renmei. Having lost his family at a young age and carrying deep emotional scars, Yang Ling is taken in by Yang Zhi and Ji Renmei and lives his life to the fullest. He later becomes the protagonist of "Yang Lingden," the sequel to "Water Margin," and raises the new flag of Liangshan Marsh.
◇Comment from Shinnosuke Mitsushima (role of Yang Zhi)
The light of Suikoden has been passed down through the ages. Entrusted with that light, I breathed life into Yang Zhi and lived his life to the fullest. I felt a great deal of pressure every time I shed my blood, carved my soul, and threw myself into the flames of fate. But that pressure was strangely comfortable, as if it was hugging my core and pushing me forward, and I believe I was able to express feelings that only I can feel.
Yang Zhi is a man of pride who rises up even in the midst of suffering. Guided by the warmth and love of his family, he transforms the bonds of his encounters into strength and discovers the value of what he must protect. His journey is sometimes a lonely one, but as he grips his sword in the darkness, a light shines beside him.
That's thanks to all the staff and cast. And the presence of Ji Renmei and Yang Ling was a great source of strength. As Yang Zhi, he lived his life with that vow in his heart. It is an unshakable asset, deeply engraved in his life. Suikoden will continue to shine like the stars twinkling in the night sky, lighting an undying flame in the hearts of all who come into contact with the story.
◇Comment from Haru (role of Saihito)
Ji Renmi's past life of despair changes completely for the better when she meets Yang Ling. I played the role as if that happiness and joy were overflowing in my heart. By helping Yang Ling, strangers become family. Even though they are not related by blood, I think both Ji Renmi and Yang Zhi, played by Mitsushima, needed moments of family compassion and love.
Mitsushima-san really led the way, and I was able to play the role of "big Haru and little Haru (Iwakawa Haru, who plays Yang Ling)" freely while looking up at my father's big back. Among the many battle scenes depicted, I think the scenes with our family are the parts that you can feel the most "close to," so I would be happy if you could see that there was a family like this in the midst of turmoil.
◇ Comment from Producer Yasuaki Ohara (WOWOW)
Yang Zhi is a representative character in Kenzo Kitakata's "Water Margin." Through the lives of the Yang Zhi family, readers travel to many places and experience many encounters and partings.
Mitsushima Shinnosuke has accepted the role of Yang Zhi, a man born into a distinguished military family and torn between ideals and reality. When we first met, I was moved to tears by the passion and determination in the words that Mitsushima spoke. His honesty, charming demeanor that makes you want to follow in his footsteps, and professional attitude are the very definition of Yang Zhi. I am convinced that no one other than Mitsushima could have played the role of Yang Zhi.
Haru gave a sensitive and warm performance as Ji Renmei, who meets Yang Zhi and raises the orphan together. I couldn't think of anyone other than Haru to express the dignified strength and kindness of a mother. When adapting the novel for the screen, how to portray the female characters, especially Ji Renmei, was one of the important themes for the production team, but the figure of Ji Renmei that emerges in the film continues to exude a presence and charm that far exceeds what I imagined when I first read the novel.
"Water Margin" is a story of battle, but it is also a story of family and love. These themes depicted throughout the work remain timeless, even as the times change. I hope you will join us in seeing where Yang Zhi, Ji Renmei, and Yang Ling's journey leads.
