The five student cast members for the October drama series "Our Hakone Ekiden" (Nippon TV, broadcast time slot undecided), starring Yo Oizumi, were revealed on January 27th. The 18 student cast members will be announced over four consecutive days starting from the same day.
The first five notable young cast members announced are Kobayashi Toranosuke, Tomoya Oku, Kohei Shoji, Ikeda Masashi, and Nishino Ryo.
Kobayashi will play Aoba Hayato, captain of the Meisei Gakuin University track and field team, his wife will play Yano Keizu, the team's manager, Shoji will play Inomata Takeru, a second-year student at Musashino Agricultural University, Ikeda will play Nogi Keisuke, a first-year student at Keisei University, and Nishino will play Amagi Makoto, a third-year student at Musashi Chuo University.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Ikeido Jun (Bungeishunju). Meisei Gakuin University, a veteran university that has failed to qualify for the Hakone Ekiden for two consecutive years. To participate in the Hakone Ekiden, they must pass the qualifying rounds held in October. Will Meisei Gakuin be able to run the Hakone course? An unexpected incident also occurs at the television station that will be broadcasting the race... This is the story. Oizumi plays Tokushige Ryo, the chief producer of the television station in charge of the live broadcast of the Hakone Ekiden, and Tomohisa Yamashita plays Kai Masato, the new coach of the track and field club at his alma mater, Meisei Gakuin University.
The athletics coaching and supervision was provided by Eiji Ohgo, vice president of the Kanto Student Athletics Federation and former head coach of Kanagawa University's ekiden relay race. The 18 young actors underwent several months of intensive training and training camps to play the roles of the runners in the Hakone Ekiden and the manager who supports them. Ohgo not only taught them technical aspects such as running form and how to tone their bodies, but also the mentality of "it is those who cannot participate in the ekiden who support the team" and how to be a team, providing thorough and essential instruction just like in an actual ekiden race.
The roles and comments of the five cast members, as well as comments from their instructor, Ogo, are as follows:
◇ Kobayashi Toranosuke's role and comment
Hayato Aoba of Meisei Gakuin University: A fourth-year student competing in his final Hakone Ekiden race. He has a kind personality and always thinks about the team, putting his own needs second. The responsibility and pressure of being captain and ace is immense.
Comment: I'm not a big fan of running, so when I found out I was going to be in the film, I felt a sense of determination to prepare thoroughly. I've practiced and attended training camps with the other student actors many times, and every time I meet I learn a lot about different sides of them, so I think we've gathered a really interesting group of people. I'm also grateful to the staff for creating this opportunity so that we could tackle filming with a strong sense of teamwork in mind. I've been given more time to prepare than any of my previous projects, so I'm really putting my all into this one!
◇ Tomoya Oku's role and comment
Keizu Yano, Meisei Gakuin University: A third-year student and manager of the track and field club. He is a calm and kind man who pays close attention to his surroundings, and is trusted by his teammates. He is a good confidant for Hayato, and is working hard to support the team, which is in turmoil due to the appointment of new coach Kai.
Comment: I play the role of Yano Keizu, the manager of the track and field team, but at first I had no idea what role a manager plays. I was given time to study various things in preparation for filming, and I also had the opportunity to visit Aoyama Gakuin University, which helped me to feel the closeness between the manager and the athletes. Keizu is also set to be a former track and field athlete, so I would like to train with my teammates and share the same time, and I would like to cherish those moments while playing this role.
◇ Kohei Shoji's role and comment
Musashino Agricultural University - Inomata Takeru: A second-year student who is a big eater and is large for an athlete. He has a strong sense of justice and is stoic, and has a strong core, but his teammates often criticize his laid-back attitude. He is from Nagasaki, a place with many hills, and is good at hill races.
Comment: At first, I was told that my running form was "hopeless," so I watched YouTube and practiced running as hard as I could, so when I was officially cast, I felt relieved, and genuinely glad. At the same time, I felt an immense sense of nervousness welling up inside me. Perhaps because I played basketball for over 10 years, I tend to be critical when watching sports scenes. I felt a strong need to do my best so that current Hakone Ekiden runners and people with track and field experience would not feel uncomfortable and would not think, "It's just a drama."
◇ Masashi Ikeda's role and comment
Keisei University - Nogi Keisuke: A first-year student who is a genius elite runner, but also a cheerful and innocent person who gets along with everyone. His trademark is his refreshing prince-like smile, and he is especially popular with women.
Comment: When I was chosen to appear and read the script, I realized that I couldn't be half-hearted. My character is a genius runner, so to make the role more convincing, I decided to thoroughly study my running technique and physique. I've played soccer for 12 years, but I'm actually not good at running (laughs). Training was a battle with myself. It strengthened my self-management skills in many areas, including diet and how to avoid injury. I'll do my best as a genius runner so that everyone can support me!
◇Ryo Nishino's role and comment
Musashi Chuo University - Amagi Makoto: A third-year student who excelled in both academics and sports, he entered the prestigious Musashi Chuo University through the general entrance exam. He is a hard worker and studious, and his strengths are his clever running, which allows him to calmly assess situations and devise his own strategies. He is inspired by the coach's innovative coaching.
Comment: When I heard about the audition, I had already started practicing running, and even ran to the audition venue to show that I was good at it (laughs). I really wanted to be in this production, so I was very happy when I was chosen. It was my first time meeting most of the other cast members, but we had many opportunities to talk together during the joint practice sessions that were held once every two weeks, and I could tell that everyone loves acting. They also have very high aspirations to make this production a good one, so I respect them. It's a really good team.
◇Comment from Eiji Ohgo
"The pursuit of ultimate realism" was the theme we asked all of the actors playing the Hakone runners to achieve. Refined yet unique running skills. A fearless body composition with less than 7% body fat. The psychology of a runner. The team support mentality of an ekiden manager. And captain Aoba Hayato's leadership. To acquire these elements, they participated in countless interval training sessions and meetings. Personal running every morning and evening. Dietary control, which was perhaps the most self-restraint-intensive aspect. At the final joint training camp, all of these elements were brought together without a single person missing, creating an air of unity. It felt like a declaration of their resolve to weave this story. They were able to send off with pride and confidence as they performed the Hakone Ekiden. This story will undoubtedly resonate with ekiden fans nationwide, and with everyone looking forward to the passionate emotions it evokes. Please look forward to it.
