The NHK drama series "The Uncertain Courtroom of Themis," starring actor Matsuyama Kenichi, will begin airing on January 6th in the station's "Drama 10" time slot (General TV, Tuesdays at 10pm). The courtroom drama follows a judge with a developmental disorder as he grapples with his own unique characteristics while taking on complex cases. Matsuyama will play Ando Kiyoharu, an assistant judge for special cases who has been transferred to the Maebashi District Court's First Branch.
The drama is based on a unique legal mystery by Sho Naoshima. The script is written by Hideya Hamada, who has worked on Fuji TV's serial dramas "Ichikei no Karasu" and "Absolute Zero" series, and the chief director is Hisataka Yoshikawa, who worked on "Drama 10: Sora Wataru Kyoushitsu."
Matsuyama plays the protagonist, Ando Kiyoharu, who was diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) as a child and, based on his doctor's advice, learned how to communicate and behave in a "normal" way. Unable to fit into society due to his developmental disorder, Ando became a judge because the law is the only rule that remains constant regardless of individual characteristics. He believed that by studying law, he could become a part of society. However, he was afraid of interacting with others because of his uncontrollable impulses to speak without reading the mood or act impulsively. However, he truly wants to understand other people's feelings and integrate into society.
The heroine is played by Yui Narumi, who plays Noa Onozaki, a lawyer who quickly identifies Ando's traits and plots to use them in her own case. Other cast members include Yuri Tsunematsu as Chika Ochiai, an elite assistant judge who frowns on the trouble Ando causes and strives to uphold the strictness of the law; Ikinori Yamazaki as Shinji Furukawa, a prosecutor who is thrown into fierce debate with Onozaki while being thrown into turmoil by Ando's unpredictable trial progress; Mikako Ichikawa as Ayano Mikako Ichikawa, a mysterious enforcement officer who provides Ando and his colleagues with case information but whose true intentions are difficult to read; Emi Wakui as Kaoruko Yamaji, a psychiatrist who diagnoses Ando's traits and gives him advice on how to live in society; and Kenichi Endo as Shigeru Kadokura, a judge who secretly has high hopes for Ando's unconventional personality despite being scolded by the court president for his numerous scandals.
In the first episode, Judge Ando (Matsuyama) is assigned to the First Branch of the Maebashi District Court. As a child, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by psychiatrist Yamaji (Wakui), and has been hiding his symptoms from those around him. One day, the mayor is attacked in an assault case. The defendant, Ezawa Takuro (Kobayashi Toranosuke), was supposed to plead guilty, but at the first hearing he suddenly denies the charges. Feeling uneasy about this sudden change, Ando begins to investigate the truth of the matter while struggling with the impulses caused by his symptoms.
