Shiraishi Sei plays Nao, a childhood friend of the protagonist Koichiro (played by Nakano), in the 2026 taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" (NHK General TV, Sunday 8pm and others), starring actor Nakano Taiga. She first appeared in the drama in the first episode, "Two Monkeys," which aired on January 4th, and exudes presence as one of the "Warring States heroines" with a strong core and toughness. Shiraishi's acting has been well-received by viewers. We spoke to Matsukawa Hirotaka, the chief producer and production manager, about what he thinks of her.
"Toyotomi Brothers!" is the 65th taiga drama. It is a success story of hope and dreams, depicting the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers, Hidenaga (Koichiro) and his older brother Hideyoshi (Tokichiro), who achieve the great feat of unifying the country with their strong bond.
Shiraishi, who plays Nao, is 27 years old and was born on August 10, 1998 in Kanagawa Prefecture. This will be his first time appearing in a taiga drama.
Matsukawa also commented on Shiraishi's impressive performance, saying, "She's really good."
Furthermore, Matsukawa-san, who has the impression that "it's getting more and more attractive with each episode," predicts that "as the episodes go on, the expressions will become even richer."
He was surprised by Shiraishi's adaptability and the speed at which she grew. "She must have been quite nervous when she arrived on set, given the short preparation time, but she's become more and more charming. Her screen time is short, but she's grown so much in that time, and it feels like I'm seeing the same kind of growth as the heroines of the old morning dramas in a short period of time, and it's a lot of fun."
"Toyotomi Brothers!" is also available on NHK ONE, with the four episodes broadcast in January recording a total of 4,059,000 views (in the seven days following each episode's broadcast). The sixth episode, "Brotherly Bonds," which will be the first main episode in two weeks, will air on February 15th.
