It has been revealed that actor Shinichi Tsutsumi will be starring in the April TBS Sunday Theatre drama "GIFT" (Sundays at 9pm). This will be Tsutsumi's first lead role in a Sunday Theatre drama in 27 years, since "The Doctor" (1999), and in this production he will play Gotetsu Fumito, an astrophysicist with a genius mind and knowledge.
The story is entirely original, and was written by Kanazawa Tomoki, who has worked on Netflix's drama "Sanctuary" and the network's serial drama "Who Saw the Peacock Dance?". Set in the parasport of wheelchair rugby, the film tells the story of bonds and rebirth as a weak team comes to understand the importance of teamwork and family through earnest physical and mental competition while figuring out the answers to difficult problems facing them.
Tsutsumi plays Gotetsu, an associate professor at a university who is researching "black holes." Because he is such a genius, he has a tendency to say what he thinks without any ill intent, which hurts his colleagues and isolates him from those around him. He is a lonely man who has never clashed with or confronted anyone, and whose only purpose in life is to find difficult problems that interest him and find answers to them.
One day, by chance, he goes to watch practice of the wheelchair rugby team "Braze Bulls," whose head coach is his cousin Masami Hino. The Bulls are a weak team that has not won a game in three years, with players constantly arguing with each other, no sense of unity in their play, and a disjointed atmosphere that does not seem to give them the chance to win.
Seeing the scene full of problems, Gotetsu happily exclaims, "This is great! This team has a mountain of problems!" And despite not even knowing the rules of wheelchair rugby, he declares, "I can make them win. Let's make this team number one in Japan." At first, Gotetsu only intended to solve the difficult problem of "not being able to win," but as he begins to find the answer to the Bulls' difficult problem, he comes into serious conflict with the players, and by learning about the scars each of them carries in their lives, he also comes to face his own difficult problems.
◇Comment from Shinichi Tsutsumi
I believe that the main character of this story is wheelchair rugby. I just want to be in a position to support them well. The players had been practicing for months before filming began, so I was really surprised when filming began. I was really impressed by everyone's extraordinary efforts and determination.
My character is an astrophysicist who becomes interested in rugby because of its similarities to the structure of the universe, and becomes a coach. He also has a scientific way of looking at things, with a somewhat mathematical way of thinking. This lonely man opens up through the team and the sport. As the barriers of disability and parasports disappear, everyone's different ways of life intersect, and they come to understand the importance of teamwork and family. I hope you enjoy this story of bonds and rebirth.
◇Comment from Shunichi Hirano (Planning and Direction)
The first time I saw wheelchair rugby was 10 years ago. I was overwhelmed by the intensity and passion of the game. I wanted to somehow capture that emotion in a drama! It would definitely be something amazing! I was convinced of that.
As I continued my research, I was deeply impressed by the dedication of the coaches, staff, families, and other people involved in this sport, who support the athletes and are determined to walk alongside them. The portrayal of people living and questioning gave this work a depth never before seen before. Our protagonist is Gotetsu Fumito, a lonely, middle-aged astrophysicist on the brink of decline. Having lost all motivation and hope, Gotetsu knows no joy other than finding the answers to the universe through equations. He encounters a team wandering in the darkness, and as they clash with each other, he begins to reexamine his own life. He forms a strong bond with his teammates for the first time, discovers love within his family, and forges a friendship with his first close friend. Gotetsu receives various gifts that brighten his life once again. And as he interacts with Gotetsu as he tackles life's challenges, the people around him who have lost their light are reborn and regain their sparkle. We hope to deliver this story, packed full of tears and laughter, to our viewers. Please look forward to the Sunday Theatre "GIFT"!
◇ Comment from Masako Miyazaki (Producer)
This drama is a story of bonds and rebirth, about a genius astrophysicist who has lived a solitary life but encounters wheelchair rugby, a field he has no experience with, and how, through serious competition with the unique players, he learns about the existence of teammates, love, and heals the wounds of his own life.
Shinichi Tsutsumi plays the eccentric protagonist, Gotetsu. He is a middle-aged man on the verge of fading, but he is also a genius and a loner, and he brings a powerful and lively performance to the role that only Tsutsumi can bring to the role. The process in which Gotetsu clashes with the other athletes, gets to know his teammates, and discovers love goes beyond the scope of a simple sports drama to become a passionate and moving story, so we hope you will receive the greatest gift from this drama!
