The WOWOW drama series "Draft King -BORDER LINE-," starring actor Tsuyoshi Muro and co-starring Hio Miyazawa, will begin airing and streaming on May 15th. The drama is a sequel to "Draft King," which aired in 2023, and depicts the behind-the-scenes world of acquiring professional baseball players, focusing on the scouts. As with the previous work, Muro plays the protagonist, the highly skilled scout Gohara Aura, and Miyazawa plays Kamiki Ryosuke, a former professional player turned scout. We asked them about their impressions of each other and their thoughts on their roles after working together again.
"Draft King" is a popular manga series currently running in "Grand Jump" (Shueisha) by Tetsuro Kuromatsu, known for works such as "Be-Kaku" and "A Bouquet for the Baseball Club." The story follows Gohara, a scout for the "Yokohama Baygoals" played by Muro, who uses his keen eye to discover hidden talents and attempts to acquire the number one draft pick, the "Draft King."
This sequel comes about three years after the previous film. However, Muro and Miyazawa both agree that they didn't feel like it had been that long or that there was any gap in their work. Nevertheless, Muro says that he did notice changes in Miyazawa during filming, given that three years had passed. "It might sound arrogant, but from my perspective as someone a little older, I could tell that Hio-kun had had some very valuable and wonderful experiences over these past three years. So, both as a fellow actor and as someone who was making 'Draft King' together, I looked up to him with confidence. I tried to maintain a distance from him that allowed me to absorb even a little of that feeling or learn from him," he said.
Miyazawa says that the close relationship he built with Muro during their first collaboration in the previous film proved valuable in this sequel. "Because of that experience, I was able to get into character right from the first day of filming for the sequel. Of course, we were able to communicate from the first day on things other than acting as well, so I felt very open, more open than in the previous film, and I was able to absorb a lot of things and spend the time with ease. That was a huge plus when it came to playing Kamiki," he recalls.
Both actors are reprising their roles from the previous series, but they say they were conscious of some changes in their performances in this series. Muro said that in the previous series, he played Gohara in a way that made his character clear in the first episode, but he recalled, "In this series, I've made it easy to understand even for people who are watching for the first time, but I've consciously tried to reduce the amount of exaggerated acting that explains, 'This is the kind of person he is.'" Miyazawa sees Kamiki as the character closest to the viewers, who asks questions about various things, and he revealed, "Kamiki doesn't hesitate to ask direct questions about things that people who don't know about baseball, or even people who do know about baseball but want to know more about, are curious about. I was conscious of that being his role."
This film also depicts new sides of Gohara and Kamiki. Regarding Gohara, Muro explains, "In a sense, he's a man who will stop at nothing. But because he stops at nothing, he appears to be 'team first,' but this time, we see that Gohara is 'player first.'" Miyazawa also speaks of Kamiki's transformation, saying, "He's been going through a rough time as a scout, and in a sense, he's on the brink. But the Kamiki of the past might have given up if the players he was in charge of weren't drafted, but in this film, being on the brink fuels his determination, and it leads to a desire to do whatever it takes to make the players he's scouted successful. That's a different kind of growth in him compared to the previous film, and I think it shows that he's developed a sense of professionalism as a scout."
According to Muro, Gohara and Kamiki are characters that he respects and from whom he can learn. "I respect Gohara, thinking, 'It's amazing that he's been able to do this much.' He's probably spent most of his life in this world, but I wonder if I've been able to do that much (as an actor). I would like to, and I would say that we are the same in that respect..."
Miyazawa said that he sees a resemblance between himself and Kamiki in his earnest but often misguided efforts, adding, "But I think his ability to work so hard and push forward despite what his seniors say is a great talent. If you ask me if I'm working that hard, I'd say I'm still far from it. In this job, there are many things that go well and many things that don't, but I want to be able to stay focused and push forward on the path I believe is right, so I'm learning a lot from Kamiki in that respect."
Regarding the film, Muro expressed his confidence, saying, "I'm confident that we've created something interesting as a drama that even people who aren't particularly interested in the draft system can enjoy." He emphasized that the film's portrayal of the light and dark sides of the draft is a highlight, and that even people unfamiliar with baseball can enjoy it. Miyazawa also shared his thoughts on the film's appeal, saying, "Not just in baseball, but in anything, it's almost impossible to achieve your dreams and goals on your own. I think it's only when you carry the support and hopes of many people around you—family, coaches, teammates, friends—that you can move towards your goals. I think that's true in any sport and in any life you lead, so I hope that even people who don't know much about baseball will watch it and relate to that aspect."
The drama will premiere on WOWOW Prime and WOWOW On Demand on May 15th. It will air and stream every Friday at 11 PM. There will be 10 episodes in total.
