Actor Hiroki Hasegawa appeared at the preview screening of the special period drama "Nemuri Kyoshiro" (General TV, March 24, 10:00 PM) held at the NHK Broadcasting Center in Shibuya, Tokyo on March 12. Hasegawa, who will be starring in his first NHK drama since the 2020 Taiga drama "Kirin ga Kuru," spoke about his feelings when he received the offer and his thoughts on playing the role of Nemuri Kyoshiro.
Based on the novel by Renzaburo Shibata, the drama is a period drama produced by NHK and Toei Kyoto Studio. Set in the late Edo period, it depicts the battles of the lone swordsman Nemuri Kyoshiro, who wields the famous sword Musou Masamune and his deadly "Engetsusatsuho" technique, mercilessly slashing away the ugliest creatures in the world with graceful strokes of his sword.
Hasegawa, who plays the main character Nemuri Kyoshiro, expressed his joy, saying, "This is the first time in six years that I've been starring in an NHK drama. It feels like six years have passed by before I knew it. I previously said to someone at NHK, 'After I do the Asadora and the taiga drama, I wonder if they'll call me for a while,' and they said, 'That's true' (laughs). I'm really happy to have been called again like this."
Hasegawa, who was originally a fan of "Nemuri Kyoshiro," said he accepted the offer "without hesitation," but confessed, "I'm 49 now. I felt it would be quite tough to play this role at 49 (laughs)."
"Nemuri Kyoshiro" has been adapted into films and TV dramas many times, with famous actors such as Tsuruta Koji, Ichikawa Raizo, Masakazu Tamura, and Kataoka Takao playing Kyoshiro.
Hasegawa, who said he looked up the ages of the previous actors who played Kyoshiro, said, "I wondered how old they all were when they started, and it turns out they were all in their late 20s...I thought, 'That must be tough,' but I thought there was nothing I could do since I'd already started, so I did my best. It was quite difficult and I struggled, so please be gentle with me." He then said, "If the reviews are good, they'll make it into a series, but if the reviews are bad, I'll have no choice but to withdraw," drawing laughter from the audience.
Nanao and Bando Yajuro also attended the press conference.
