It was revealed on February 10th that actor Yamada Yuki will be appearing in the April TBS Sunday Theatre drama "GIFT" (Sundays at 9pm), starring Tsutsumi Shinichi. Arimura Kasumi will also be appearing. This will be the first time that both of them will be appearing in a "Sunday Theatre" drama.
The story is entirely original, with the screenplay 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 serious physical and mental challenges, while figuring out the answers to difficult problems facing them.
Tsutsumi plays Gotetsu Fumito, an astrophysicist with a genius mind and knowledge who is an associate professor at a university researching black holes. His genius often leads him to say what he thinks without any ill intent, hurting his colleagues and isolating himself 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 answers to difficult problems that interest him.
Yamada plays Miyashita Ryo, the ace player of the underdog wheelchair rugby team, the Brave Bulls, whose star has faded. Ryo is competitive, earnest, caring, and considerate of his teammates. In high school, he captained the soccer team and devoted himself to it, aiming for the Inter-High School Championships. One day, however, he was involved in a traffic accident, forcing him into a wheelchair. His soccer dreams were shattered, and his family was separated. It was during this time that he discovered wheelchair rugby, and while he works in the welfare department of the city hall, he continues to play with sincerity and dedication. With no one to challenge him on the Bulls' current situation, he has become a lone wolf, and while he struggles with frustration, he strongly opposes the sudden arrival of Gotetsu.
Arimura plays Kiriyama Hitoka, a reporter who works in the editorial department of a lifestyle magazine at a publishing company.
Yamada's comments are as follows:
◇Comment from Yamada Yuki (role of Miyashita Ryo)
I've seen wheelchair rugby on video a few times, but this is my first time trying it. When I actually got into a competitive wheelchair, I found that just moving forward and stopping was much more difficult than I'd imagined, and I was worried about whether I'd be able to properly express the pride of being a player, let alone convey the realistic intensity of the game. That's why I'm giving it my all every day in practice.
The character I play, Ryo, is a young man who lives his life believing that "I'm the only one I can rely on," and I feel that he overlaps with my younger self in some ways... Sports is a world of competition, where you either win or lose, and because Ryo takes wheelchair rugby seriously as an ace player, he is burdened with many conflicts and has closed his heart, wanting to fight alone.
Life is a series of "gifts" - we give to others and receive from others, and the cycle repeats. What I can do is to face this production with all my might through wheelchair rugby. I hope that this will deliver a "gift" of energy and courage to the viewers. I hope that after watching it, they will feel warm inside, look a little forward, and think, "I want to do my best too." Please accept this "gift" from Team GIFT.
