Actors Taiga Nakano and Sosuke Ikematsu attended the preview and press conference for the 2026 NHK Taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" (broadcasting begins January 4th, the first episode will be extended by 15 minutes) held at the NHK Broadcasting Center (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo) on December 8th. They talked about an episode with co- Shun Oguri.
"Toyotomi Brothers!" is a success story of hope and dreams, depicting the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers' rise to power, with Hidenaga, the younger brother of "the great ruler of Japan," Toyotomi Hideyoshi, as the protagonist. Hidenaga will be played by Nakano, and Hideyoshi by Ikematsu. The script will be written by Yatsushi Hiroyuki, known for "Hanzawa Naoki" (TBS) and the Asadora drama "Ochoyan."
Oguri, who will be appearing in his 10th taiga drama, will play Oda Nobunaga, the "lonely charismatic leader who aims to unify the country." He is the absolute lord of the brothers Koichiro (later Hidenaga, played by Nakano) and Tōkichirō (later Hideyoshi, played by Ikematsu), and appears in the first episode.
Nakano revealed, "I've met him in private, but this is the first time we've worked together properly (on a film)," and added, "I always feel a certain 'strong man' aura,' or spirit that only Shun can exude. The story continues with us as Oda vassals, but with Shun there, the atmosphere on set becomes that of Oda Nobunaga. There's a peaceful atmosphere throughout, but also a sense of tension... (I) have had some pretty tough times with Shun's Nobunaga (laughs). I hope you'll look forward to that as well. I think he's the coolest Nobunaga."
Ikematsu nodded and said, "He has been active at the forefront of acting, and I am deeply impressed by the moments I get to see every day where the life he has cultivated links with the life of Oda Nobunaga. I am moved by every scene. He has a great capacity, generosity, and above all, charisma, and he really drives the story forward."
When asked what memorable thing Oguri said to him, Nakano replied, "He's dirty." Ikematsu added, "His appearance (as Hidenaga) was the reason (laughs)," and added, "He also said things like, 'Let's play golf' and 'Let's go eat sushi,'" drawing laughter.
