EXILE TAKAHIRO plays Oda Nobunaga for the second time, preparing for the role at the gym built by Takakura Ken

Singer EXILE TAKAHIRO attended a press conference held at TV Asahi headquarters (Minato Ward, Tokyo) for the drama series "Masked Ninja Akakage" (Sunday midnight 12:10, Kanto local), which starts on October 26th. It was announced that he will be playing Oda Nobunaga in the series.

This will be TAKAHIRO's second time playing Nobunaga, following the 2019 film "Three Nobunagas." "It would be presumptuous to say that I have a connection to him, but I'm happy to be able to live as Oda Nobunaga again this time," he said with a smile. The lead role will be played by Taiki Sato of the junior group "FANTASTICS," and he said, "I was really looking forward to hearing that Taiki would be the leader. However, I never thought that I would be offered the role of Oda Nobunaga."

He revealed that the late Takakura Ken frequently used the gym equipped with exercise equipment at Toei Kyoto Studios, where filming is taking place, saying, "I spend more time in the gym than in the dressing room (laughs). I probably use it more than any other cast member. I train with lots of Takakura Ken posters watching over me," he said with a smile. "Oda Nobunaga (in this film) is a character who speaks with his back, so I'm focusing on training my latissimus dorsi muscles to make him look bigger visually," he said, drawing laughter.

Regarding Nobunaga, he said, "The more I pursue him, the deeper I find him. He has a frightening, almost insane quality, but also a kindness that yearns for unwavering peace," and said he particularly values ​​"power." "I'm trying to create my own version of Oda Nobunaga, and I'm doing muscle training while injecting the soul of Ken Takakura into him, in order to bring out his physical power as well."

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.