It has been revealed that actor Tetsuji Tamayama will be appearing in the drama series "Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden," starring Yuji Oda, which will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW from February 15, 2026. Tamayama will play Li Fu, the greatest enemy standing in the way of the protagonist Song Jiang (played by Oda) and his Liangshan Marsh. A trailer has also been released. The drama is produced by WOWOW and NTT Docomo, and will also be available on the video streaming service "Lemino" from the same day.
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). In a world where corruption was rampant, one low-ranking official who believed in justice rose up. His name was Song Jiang. His book on "social reform," "The Way of Heavenly Reform," strikes a chord with those who resist the times. This is a story of "rebellion" in which 108 people unite under one banner and challenge the great enemy that is the state in an attempt to change an unjust era.
Li Fu, played by Tamayama, is a senior official at the Qing Lian Temple, a national spy agency responsible for intelligence gathering and covert operations. He is also concerned about the future of the country. Unlike Song Jiang, who aims to "overthrow the country and rebuild it anew," he believes that a failing country should be rebuilt from within. He is obsessed with eliminating Liangshanbo, which could pose a threat to the country.
In addition to Li Fu, the cast for the "enemies" of Liangshan Marsh has also been announced. Akio Otsuka will play Yuan Ming, the commander of Seirenji Temple and Li Fu's superior, Kowata Ryu will play Wang He, the commander of the "dark army" that specializes in assassinations and sabotage, and Makishima Teru will play Gao Lian, Wang He's aide-de-camp. Other senior Seirenji officials include Hamada Shinya as Soei, who is in charge of the Imperial Guard, the Emperor's direct army; Takemori Sennin as He Gong, who is in charge of civil affairs; and Masuda Shuichiro as Gotatsu, who is in charge of the provincial army. Ikeda Narushige will play Gao Kyu, a general of the Imperial Guard and a symbol of corrupt power, and Miyashita Shuji as Gao Kyu's subordinate, Rikuken.
It's not just the power of the state that stands in Song Jiang's way. Song Jiang and Chao Gai (played by Sorimachi Takashi), one of the leaders of Liangshanbo, are trying to seize a fortress overrun by bandits. Hagiwara Masato plays Wang Lun, the leader of the bandits in the fortress. Kamio Yu plays Du Qian, Wang Lun's right-hand man and the fortress's most senior member, and the other vice-leader, Song Wan, is played by Yagi Masayasu.
In the trailer, Song Jiang declares, "I have great ambitions. I want to fix this corrupted world." The trailer also shows Chao Gai, the rebel hero and leader of the "movement" movement; Lin Chong (Kazuya Kamenashi), the embodiment of "martial arts"; Yang Zhi (Shinnosuke Mitsushima), a righteous warrior and descendant of a founding hero; and his spouse, Ji Renmei (Haru); and the scheming Li Fu.
"Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden" will be available on WOWOW Prime, WOWOW On Demand, and Lemino every Sunday at 10:00 p.m. starting February 15, 2026.
◇Comment from Tetsuji Tamayama
I had strong feelings about this project, and felt nervous and responsible before filming, but I was also happy to be able to work with the other cast members and director Wakamatsu (Setsuro) again. The location, props, and costumes were all wonderful, and I feel like we all worked together to create and elevate Li Fu. The character I played, Li Fu, is very proud, but at the same time, there's a sense that he's forcing himself to appear strong by putting on a false bravado, and that sadness makes him seem very human. I think men will be able to empathize with Li Fu, wondering whether his compulsion to treat others this way is a sign of his inner strength or weakness.
There are various characters with different positions in this work, such as the government's side of the Seirenji and its enemy, the Liangshan Marsh, but they are all fighting for justice. So if you watch it from various perspectives, you will see different sides to the Suikoden, and it is a work with a gradation of characters.
