The drama series Yokohama Neighbors Season 1 (Saturdays at 11:40 PM) is currently airing on Tokai TV and Fuji TV, starring Ryusei Onishi from the popular group Naniwa Danshi and Yoshitaka Hara from timelesz. Season 2, a WOWOW x Tokai TV co-production, will begin airing and streaming on WOWOW from 10 PM on March 7th. On February 15th, it was revealed that Misako Renbutsu and Masato Hagiwara will be appearing as new cast members in Season 2.
The drama is a human entertainment story about Koyanagi Ryuichi (aka Ron), a smart but lazy young man who grew up in Chinatown, played by Onishi, who tackles various cases with the help of his older brother, Iwashimizu Kinta (aka Kin-chan), a detective in the First Investigative Division, played by Hara, and his fellow "Neighbors." The original work is the "Yokohama Neighbors" series (Haruki Bunko) by Iwai Keiya, which was nominated as a finalist for the 11th Yoshikawa Eiji Bunko Award and has been the subject of much discussion.
Season 2 will add original elements not found in the original work, making the story even more suspenseful. Renbutsu will play Asaka Kiko, a detective in the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Department's First Investigative Division who teams up with Kinta to investigate a series of murders, while Hagiwara will play Kiyota Daisuke, a lawyer who becomes the defense attorney for Ron, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
The poster visual and teaser trailer for Season 2 were also released on the same day. In stark contrast to the hopeful and vivid imagery of Season 1, the new season shows the characters with serious expressions as they confront the truth of the incident.
◇Comment from Ryusei Onishi (role of Ryuichi Koyanagi)
Season 2 will depict larger-scale incidents and more complex human relationships. As the story takes place two years after Season 1, Ron's costumes have changed from the brightly colored street style to a more mature look with a more subdued color palette. He also cut his hair short before filming.
The phrase "benevolence and good neighborliness" depicted in Season 1 will also become important in Season 2.
It's an unexpected turn of events that sees Ron arrested, but what kind of future awaits him as he continues to believe in his friends? I think you'll be able to really feel the bonds that form throughout Season 1 and 2, so be sure to keep an eye out.
◇Comment from Yoshitaka Hara (role of Kinta Iwashimizu)
The director and filming team changed from Season 1, and the feel of the series has changed considerably. Of course, the story is connected, but it felt like a completely different project from Season 1. I was also happy to see the addition of a khaki long coat to Kin-chan's costume, which made him look more like a detective.
In Season 2, the story will expand in scale and there will be more hints. There may be times when the strong bonds that the Neighbors forged in Season 1 will be put at risk. We are sure there will be exciting developments, so please look forward to it.
◇Comment from Misako Renbutsu (role of Kiko Asaka)
I think Season 2 is overwhelming, with screenwriter Toda carefully and meticulously extracting rich original elements from Iwai's original work. Even people like me who first encountered the series with Season 2 were drawn into the story, yet for those who have been watching since Season 1, it feels like an even more shocking and, in some ways, sad story.
It was a time of quiet struggle as we were confronted once again with the ambiguity of "justice." I hope that everyone will watch until the end, pursuing together what each of us believes is right.
◇Comment from Masato Hagiwara (Deputy Mayor of Kiyota)
His personality, completely different from Onishi-kun and Hara-kun's, shone brightly like a jewel through his role and was truly dazzling!!
When people grow, they always have big encounters. I think that this happens regardless of age. I think Season 2 will allow you to feel that, so I hope everyone will look forward to it.
◇Comment from the original author, Keiya Iwai
I was amazed when I watched the drama "Yokohama Neighbors Season 1." This is because the spirit of "kindness and good neighborliness" that underlies the original work was reproduced so faithfully. I was also impressed by the good atmosphere when I visited the set. The production team's sincere approach to the world of the work made for a happy adaptation. I think that even those who know the "Yokohama Neighbors" series from the original work will enjoy this drama.
Season 2 tells the story from the perspective of Iwashimizu Kinta (Kin-chan), played by Hara Yoshitaka. Of course, Koyanagi Ryuichi (Ron), played by Onishi Ryusei, and friends like Hina, Matsu, and Nagi will also continue to appear. With a more suspenseful and tense atmosphere, the concept of "kindness and good neighborliness" is expressed from a different angle than in Season 1. As a viewer, I too am looking forward to the broadcast and streaming.
◇ Comment from screenwriter Toda Akihiro
In Season 2, the story's perspective shifts from Ron, a civilian, to Detective Kinta. How can we bring to life the warmth of the characters in the original work and the spirit of "good neighborliness" from the perspective of a detective, who cannot judge things based on personal circumstances alone? This question was the starting point for Season 2.
By shifting the focus from the civil world to criminal cases, the story becomes more complex and develops into a suspenseful story with a larger scale. I wrote it with the intention of making it not just a detective drama, but a Yokohama Neighbors detective drama. I think it's a complicated story where human choices and emotions intersect.
While respecting the episodes from the original work, about half of the story in Season 2 is made up of original stories. Many new characters that I personally have a special attachment to will appear. I hope that fans of the original work will also love the world of Neighbors, including these characters.
Be sure to watch until the end to see the characters torn between trusting others and being suspicious.
