It was revealed on December 10th that Daigo Nishihata of the popular group "Naniwa Danshi" will be playing his first lead role in a drama series, "Matori to Kyoken," which will air on the MBS and TBS "Dramaism" slot (MBS Tuesdays at 12:59 AM, TBS Tuesdays at 12:28 AM) starting January 20th, 2026. His new blonde haircut has also been revealed to help him get into the role.
The manga "Matori to Mad Dog: Men in the Back Alleys" was written by Takashi Tajima, who has created many hit works such as "Kabachitare!" and "Gokuaku Ganbo", and illustrated by Masashi, and began serialization in "Young Champion" (Akita Shoten) in 2021. It depicts the horror of drugs and the reality of the underworld.
A drug-related murder occurred at a Roppongi club. A customer stabbed a waiter and then died from a cocaine overdose. The drug dealer who sold the drug to this customer was Kyonosuke Umezawa, a popular child actor who had fallen from grace. Kurosaki Toru, a narcotics enforcement officer (commonly known as a "Matori") investigating the case, had an abnormal obsession with drugs. While Umezawa and his friends were preparing drug packets in his apartment, the narcotics enforcement officers arrived for a raid... Umezawa narrowly escaped the scene, but was caught by the sharp-witted Kurosaki, who threatened him, saying, "Become my S (spy)" in exchange for not arresting him. Umezawa became Kurosaki's "S," but was arrested by Akito Katsuragi, a detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Drug and Firearms Control Division. Katsuragi also ordered Umezawa to "become a police spy," forcing him into the hellish position of "double agent for both the narcotics enforcement officer and the police"... an action entertainment film.
The role of Umezawa Kyonosuke, a former actor turned drug dealer, will be played by Nishihata, who made his drama debut in 2014 in the NHK morning drama series "Gochisousan" while still active as a member of the popular group "Naniwa Danshi." He has since appeared in numerous dramas and films, including "Kyoujo," "Kotaro Lives Alone," "Knockin' on a Locked Door," and "ItOnzoshi ni Koi wa Muzusugiru."
Hosoda Yoshihiko plays Kurosaki Toru, a drug enforcement officer with an abnormal obsession with drugs who uses Umezawa as a spy for the police. Osamu Mukai plays Katsuragi Akito, a detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Drug and Firearms Control Division who is at odds with Kurosaki. The film is directed by Shinagawa Hiroshi, a comedian who has worked on numerous hits such as "Drop," "Manzai Gang," "3/11," and "OUT," and the script is written by a team of Shinagawa and Hattori Takashi.
After the TBS broadcast, it will be available for one week on TVer and MBS Dougaism in case you missed it. It has also been decided that it will be available exclusively on Netflix for unlimited viewing.
Comments from the staff and cast are as follows:
◇Comment from Daigo Nishihata
My name is Nishihata Daigo and I will be playing the lead role of Umezawa Kyonosuke in the drama "Matori and the Mad Dog."
When I first heard this story, my first thought was, "What?! I'm going to play a drug dealer?!" lol
I was very surprised because I never thought I would be offered such an outlaw role.
When I read the original manga, I thought, "What?! Can this be broadcast on terrestrial TV?" lol
Because the content is too aggressive.
However, I was increasingly drawn into the underground worldview.
Umezawa is caught between Kurosaki, a detective officer played by Hosoda, and Katsuragi, a police officer played by Mukai.
They are an odd couple, and also spies.
Director Shinagawa wraps this slapstick comedy in flashy action and humorous laughter, making this a chaotic film!
We invite you into an underground, chaotic world every Tuesday late at night.
Stay tuned.
◇Comment from Yoshihiko Hosoda
I was thrilled to be able to take on the role of "Mad Dog" under Director Shinagawa, and I played the straightforward Kurosaki with great force. During filming, I had a great time working with Nishihata and Mukai, and I was excited to see what kind of drama it would be.
The lives of the characters, at the mercy of drugs, have been turned into a highly addictive drama that will have you wanting to watch it again and again. Please look forward to "Matori and the Mad Dog."
◇Comment from Osamu Mukai
The title doesn't seem to suggest it's gentle, but the content is even more extreme.
He plays the role of the "Mad Dog" in the title, a man of such bad behavior that it's hard to believe he's a police officer. However, he is also a passionate man with strong convictions who will stop at nothing to arrest the criminal.
That went too far...
This is quite a powerful work, so be prepared when watching!
◇Comment from Hiroshi Shinagawa
When I read the original work, I found the main character, who is at the mercy of the rivalry between the police and the police, to be intriguing, and so I held numerous meetings with scriptwriter Hattori Takashi and original author Tajima Takashi to complete the script, hoping to preserve that quality while also making it an interesting film. Nishihata, who plays the main character at the mercy of others, shows a wildness that we don't usually see, as well as his usual cuteness. Hosoda's ferocity. Mukai's overwhelming sense of strength. The heated battle between the mad dogs and the drug cartel. Please do check it out.
◇Comment from original author Takashi Tajima
When I first saw this drama, I couldn't help but exclaim in Hiroshima dialect, "So cool!"
No, Nishihata-kun is really cool. The action scenes are amazing. I never thought I'd see Nishihata-kun like this. I'm sure Nishihata-kun fans will fall in love with him all over again.
And Hosoda and Mukai give excellent performances again. Why this quality?
This drama is broadcast late at night, right? That's a shame!
In an instant, those words exploded in my head.
Even so, Director Shinagawa is truly impressive for bringing together such a diverse cast of actors. I am once again impressed.
This drama is the same as the original, but has a different charm.
I can confidently recommend it to everyone!
