"Drama 1 Week" brings you the latest drama news from the past week. This time (November 29th to December 5th), the topics covered include Hana Sugisaki starring in the drama series "Winter Something, Spring Something," and Koji Kato of "Gokuraku Tombo" taking on the challenge of writing, writing, and directing the drama series "Here's the Reserve Self-Defense Hero?!". The article will be covered in two parts.
On November 30th, it was revealed that JRA (Japan Racing Association) jockey Christophe Lemaire will be appearing in the ninth episode of the TBS Sunday Theatre drama "The Royal Family" (Sundays at 9 PM), starring Satoshi Tsumabuki, which will air on December 7th. Lemaire will reportedly appear towards the end of the story, but his role has yet to be announced. The drama's official social media account wrote, "What role will he play... please look forward to it!", but did not explicitly state that he will be playing himself. Since Lemaire also appears in a TV commercial for the popular smartphone game "Uma Musume Pretty Derby," various speculations were raised on social media, such as "Maybe he'll play a role bathing in a hot spring," "It's a mass-produced Mekarumeru," "Maybe he'll play a farmer riding a tractor," or "Maybe he'll be a chef."
It has also been revealed that Mikako Ichikawa will be appearing in episode 9 of "The Royal Family." Ichikawa, who previously played the eccentric clinical laboratory technician in "Unnatural" and "The Last Mile," both directed by Tsukahara Ayuko, the same director as this drama, will play a highly skilled but eccentric veterinarian this time. Ichikawa's character, Sawatari Yuki, is a veterinarian with considerable skill but an unusual personality. Team Royal sets off again to achieve their big dream of winning the Arima Kinen, but they are hit with one trouble after another. Just as their chances of participating in this year's Arima Kinen seem hopeless, Team Royal meets veterinarian Sawatari...
On December 1st, it was revealed that Hana Sugisaki Hana will be starring in the NTV drama series "Winter Something, Spring Something," which will begin airing in January 2026. The original script is written by director Imaizumi Rikiya, who has worked on "Love is Hard" and "Undercurrent," marking the first prime-time directorial work. Sugisaki plays the protagonist, Tsuchida Fumina, a novelist who has a boyfriend, but due to various past romantic experiences, avoids "falling in love properly" and "facing people properly." In order to seriously confront her current partner, Fumina reflects on her past relationships. After reading Imaizumi's original script, Sugisaki commented that the work is "full of small moments."
On the 1st, it was revealed that Tokui Yoshimi of "Tutorial" and Nashiko Momotsuki will be co-starring in the TV Osaka drama series "Reiwa ni Erotic Novel wo Tsukutemasu," which will begin airing in January 2026. This will be the first time the two will star in a terrestrial TV drama. The unique work drama will be set in an erotic novel editorial department. The story is based on "Reiwa ni Erotic Novel wo Tsukutemasu" (Author: Sato Yuki, Original Story: France Shoin Editorial Department), which is based on a true story that happened at France Shoin, a publishing company of erotic novels. Tokui will play Tamagawa Jouji, the eccentric editor-in-chief of the erotic novel editorial department, while Momotsuki will play Oizumi Mashiro, a new editor who dreams of becoming a manga editor but is unexpectedly assigned to the erotic novel editorial department.
On the 2nd, it was revealed that Koji Kato of "Gokuraku Tombo" will be attempting his hand in original story, scriptwriting, and directing for the January 2026 drama series "This is a Reserve Self-Defense Hero?!" (Chunichi TV, Nippon TV). Starring Fuma Kikuchi of "timelesz," the series will be "a hero production unlike anything we've seen before," Kato commented, "I'm nervous, and it's completely different from when I'm on the receiving end of an actor." Known as a film lover, Kato first directed and wrote the script for "Victims" for the short film production project "MIRRORLIAR FILMS" in May of this year, but this will be his first time directing a drama series. Kato explained his reason for casting Kikuchi, saying, "He has a good sense of rhythm, and he's appeared on variety shows, so he's good at comedy."
On the 2nd, it was announced that Hideaki Ito will appear in the TBS Sunday Theatre "Reboot" (Sundays at 9:00 PM) in the January 2026 season. This will be his first appearance in a Sunday Theatre series in approximately 11 years, since "The Emperor's Chef" in 2015. The newly announced cast includes people close to the police who are connected to Gido, played by lead actor Ryohei Suzuki. Ito plays Masachika Makita, an inspector in the Metropolitan Police Department's Police Affairs Division, known as the "police within the police." He is a key figure who suspects Hayase (played by Suzuki in a dual role) of impersonating Gido and stands in his way. Also appearing in the series were Aju Makita, Daisuke Nakagawa, Tetsuhiro Ikeda, Haru Fujita, and Kayo Noro. This will be Makita's first Sunday Theatre appearance since "Mikami Sensei " (2025), and he will take on his first role as a detective, playing Tsubasa Adachi, a young detective in the Gido Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department's First Investigative Division.
On the 2nd, it was announced that a recap of the NHK Asadora drama "Anpan, " starring Mio Imada, which aired its final episode in September, will air on December 30th at 7:20 AM on General TV. The four-part, approximately three-hour recap will look back on the "story of love and courage" of the heroine Nobu (Imada) and her husband, Kentaro Karashima Takashi Yanai(Takumi Kitamura). A special episode will also be rebroadcast on General TV at 10:22 AM on the same day. The four special episodes are: the first, "Ken-chan's Proposal," starring Fumiya Takahashi Kentaro ( Nanoka Hara ); the second, "Meiko's Stage Debut," starring Hara Nanoka; the third, "Men's March," starring Takuya Ise Motoki Omori (Omori Motoki); and the fourth, "The Inheritance," starring Nakao Hoshiko (Furukawa Kotone).
