It has been announced that actors Koichi Sato and Yasuko Matsuyuki will appear in the drama series "Kitakata Kenzo: Suikoden," starring Yuji Oda, which will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW and the video streaming service "Lemino" from February 15, 2026. Sato will play Wang Jin, a renowned martial arts instructor in the Imperial Guard who protects the Song Dynasty emperor, while Matsuyuki will play Ma Gui, a spy who serves Song Jiang (played by Oda). New visuals and stills have also been released.
The drama is based on the monumental historical epic novel "Suikoden" series (19 volumes, Shueisha Bunko) by Kitakata Kenzo. The story is set in China at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty (early 12th century). In a world rife with corruption, one low-ranking official who believed in justice stood up. His name was Song Jiang. His book on "social reform," "Kaiten Xingdao," 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 known as the state in an attempt to change an unjust era.
Wang Jin, played by Sato, is a "solitary master of martial arts" who has lived a long life in martial arts and possesses extraordinary abilities and dignity. However, due to the machinations of those in power, he is falsely accused of rebellion and becomes a fugitive. With the help of Lin Chong (Kazuya Kamenashi), he and his mother, Queen Mother (Mitsuko Oka), escape the crisis, but... In the released visual, Wang Jin is depicted standing with the imposing presence of an Imperial Guard martial arts instructor, yet with an air of melancholy in the real world.
Ma Gui, played by Matsuyuki, is a member of a traveling troupe of entertainers, but his other identity is that of a spy serving Song Jiang, whose job is to quickly grasp enemy movements and relay information to his allies. Despite losing her husband, she supports her remaining daughter, Yan Po Xi (Mizuki Yoshida), and tries to do her best for her family and Song Jiang, but she becomes embroiled in the machinations of enemy forces including Li Fu (Tamayama Tetsuji), and is soon at the mercy of a fierce conflict... The released visual shows Ma Gui with a fragile expression in a forest with sunlight filtering through the trees.
"Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden" (7 episodes) will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW and WOWOW On Demand every Sunday at 10pm starting February 15, 2026. It will also be streamed simultaneously on Lemino.
◇Comment from Koichi Sato
It's refreshing to see a production of this scale being made in Japan. Suikoden is a Chinese story, but it uses a style of expression that is similar to Japanese period dramas, so I hope the audience will find it entertaining. Director Wakamatsu and I were able to discuss with each other about which parts to include in Japanese period dramas and which parts to deviate from. We've worked together in the past, so it was great that we were able to trust each other and communicate well.
Even though it's a story set in China, it has a worldview that could be described as "northern style," depicting the bonds between men and the idea of "manhood," and all the characters embody that worldview. I hope you enjoy the portrayal of "manhood" amidst the many characters who appear and the intertwining of betrayal, trust, and many other things.
◇Comment from Yasuko Matsuyuki
Just like the epic nature of the Suikoden film, the filming location was also very creative, and I felt like I was taking part in a huge, surging wave. Ma Gui is one of the women in this story who has a dramatic turn of events. She faces great difficulties, including her upbringing, but she meets Song Jiang and changes as a result. I played her as if she were a woman who lives with conviction.
Each character has their own episode, so I think the story will be interpreted slightly differently from a male and female perspective. I think men who watch it will be able to feel the passionate aspects of the characters' way of life and the cries of their souls, as well as the suffering and the pressure of surviving that suffering. I'm also looking forward to seeing how women will feel about it.
◇Comment from Director Setsuro Wakamatsu
(About Koichi Sato) Koichi appears for a costume fitting. "I'm the fastest actor in Japan at fitting costumes. Let's finish in 10 minutes," he says, his usual impatient catchphrase amidst a tense atmosphere. Even though he knows it's impossible, he still utters the words he does so with a weight that carries him as a leader in the acting world, and on the other hand, his playful, childlike coolness captivates everyone. Wang Jin's appearance adds to the charm of the men. Don't miss out on the mind and technique of this martial arts master.
(About Yasuko Matsuyuki) She stands tall and dignified. And has a burning passion inside her. Our inspiration was perfectly captured by her performance of a number of spectacular scenes. The story of the women who are at the mercy of the men's fierce battle is one of the fascinating aspects of the overwhelming "Kitakata Kenzo version" of "Suikoden." Please look forward to this drama of life and death, joy and sorrow.
