It was revealed on December 9th that actress Hana Toyoshima and actor Jyutaro Yamanaka, a member of the vocal and dance unit "M!LK," will co-star in the drama series "Kurosaki-san's Unwavering Love Can't Stop" (Tuesdays at 12:24am), which will begin airing on Nippon Television's Tuesday Platinum Night slot "Drama DEEP" on Getsuku, 2026. This will be Toyoshima's first lead role in a drama on the network.
The drama is based on the manga of the same name (Flex Comics) by Okada Pico, which has sold over 800,000 copies, and is a new type of romantic comedy about two pure people with no dating experience. High school student Shirase Koharu (Toyoshima) is helping out at her father's rice ball shop when he suddenly proposes to her: "Marry me for this 1 billion yen." When Koharu looks up, she sees Kurosaki Ayato (Yamanaka), a young man with a dark side but a straightforward and honest eye. Kurosaki is completely devoted, a little off-kilter, and no matter how much you try to stop him, his "runaway love" won't stop. This is the story, as Koharu's heart is gradually shaken by his unpredictable approach...
Koharu, played by Toyoshima, is a second-year high school student who helps out at Shirase, a rice ball shop opened by her mother, who passed away three years ago. She leads busy days, caring for her father, who runs the shop, and her two younger brothers, while also doing the housework as a housewife. One day, her modest daily life changes dramatically when Kurosaki, one of her regular customers, suddenly proposes marriage to her.
Kurosaki, played by Yamanaka, is a popular young author with the pen name "CURO." His latest work, "First Thunder Love," his first romance novel, was a huge hit and is about to be adapted into a live-action film. Once, when he was in a slump, he visited "Shirase," a rice ball shop near his home, where he met Koharu and fell in love for the first time. Kurosaki, who had been devoted to his writing and had no romantic experience, proposed to Koharu, driven by his overflowing, devoted love.
◇Comment from Hana Toyoshima
--What were your thoughts when you heard about the plan for this drama and when you read the original story and script?
When I first read the original work, I was so moved that I couldn't sleep until midnight. The pure, cute, and straightforward expressions were so refreshing that I thought it was amazing.
-What are your thoughts and impressions about playing the main character, Shirase Koharu?
Although she has no experience in love, she is straightforward, with strong feelings for her family's shop, and is an attractive heroine that anyone can see, so I would like to play a heroine that is loved so that everyone can feel that.
-Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to this work.
It's a pure and heart-warming work, so I hope you'll look forward to it every week. I'll do my best in filming so that it can reach as many people as possible, so please be sure to watch.
◇Comment from Jyutaro Yamanaka
--What were your thoughts when you heard about the plan for this drama and when you read the original story and script?
When I read the original story, I found it to be a really interesting, pure and heartfelt story, and I was a little worried, wondering if I was really going to be in it (laughs).
-What are your thoughts and impressions about playing the main character, Kurosaki Ayato?
At first, he seems a bit odd, but before you know it, you realize he's a loyal and kind person, so I'm thinking about how to express his initial suspiciousness and the charming side that develops later on.
-Please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to this work.
I am very happy to be able to play a role in such a pure love story, and I want to cherish the performance. It is a work that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders, so I hope everyone will look forward to it!
◇Comment from original author, Pico Okada
"Kurosaki-san's Unwavering Love Can't Stop" is being made into a TV drama! It still feels like a dream, but I've always wanted to see it made into a live-action film, so I'm really happy and overwhelmed.
This dream has come true thanks to the people involved in the production who discovered and planned this work, everyone involved in the project, and the readers who always support us. I am truly grateful. The cast, including Toyoshima Hana and Jyutaro Yamanaka, are all even more wonderful than I could have hoped for, and I can't wait to see the finished video...!
The drama has been created with great care and attention to detail, so I hope that both those who have read the original work and those who are experiencing it for the first time will enjoy it!
◇ Comment from Nippon Television Producer Hirofumi Ito
This time, we have come up with the best possible casting for the film adaptation of "Mr. Kurosaki's Unwavering Love Won't Stop," a beloved work by many readers. The leading roles will be played by Toyoshima Hana and Jyutaro Yamanaka. From the planning stage, the entire production team had been eager to cast these two, saying, "We couldn't imagine anyone else playing this role."
About Hana Toyoshima
First, Toyoshima Hana. Her acting is persuasive and transparent, making her stand out even among young actors. In addition to the solid skills she has cultivated since her days as a child actor, her expressiveness, which allows her to convey emotions without speaking, simply by the movement of her eyes, embodies the inner strength and cuteness of the heroine of this work, as well as her occasional comical side. She embodies these qualities without being annoying, yet with realism. Her performance makes the character jump out of the manga frames and come alive as a living, breathing human being. There is no doubt that her performance will capture the hearts of viewers.
About Jyutaro Yamanaka
And the other leading actor is Jyutaro Yamanaka. He has stunning visuals and a mysterious sexiness hidden within. The character he will be playing this time, Kurosaki-san, has a very difficult duality: a cool exterior and an insanely devoted love deep within. The passionate light that dwells within Yamanaka's cold gaze and the destructive sweetness he shows in unexpected moments are exactly like Kurosaki himself. With his performance, Kurosaki, the character that fans of the original work have dreamed of, has descended into three dimensions with a level of perfection beyond imagination. Prepare to be captivated by his beauty and maddening love, all of Japan.
Toyoshima's "solid acting ability" and Yamanaka's "overwhelming presence." The two weave together a story of precious and unwavering love. We are confident that this is the best work of the season.
