Actor Yutaka Matsushige attended a press conference for his starring drama "Kodoku no Gourmet Season 11" (TV Tokyo, Fridays at 12:12 AM) held at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) on April 16th. Matsushige answered various questions from reporters, and even brought up the idea of a Hollywood version.
Since its premiere in 2012, the series has grown into a popular franchise, gaining support for its mouthwatering dishes and the bold eating style and unique narrative style of Goro Inogashira, played by Matsushige. Last year, " Kodoku no Gourmet: A Movie," directed, written, and starring Matsushige himself, was released and became a box office hit, grossing over 1 billion yen.
Matsushige reflected fondly on the show's journey so far, saying, "It quietly started about 15 years ago in a late-night slot on TV Tokyo, and I thought it would end without much of a response. But I feel that word of mouth gradually spread, and more and more people started to enjoy it."
When a foreign journalist called it "one of Japan's most fascinating programs," he smiled happily and said, "Thank you." When asked, "If it were to be made into a Hollywood production, who would you want to play the main character, Goro Inogashira?", he said, "That's a difficult question, I hadn't anticipated that," but then added, "I don't really resemble the original manga's illustrations, but when I think about the original illustrations, I suddenly thought that Nicolas Cage might be a good fit and would be well-received." He also added, "If Nicolas Cage turns it down, please suggest George Clooney," which drew laughter from those around him.
When asked about the most delicious meal he'd ever had, he replied, "That's the hardest question to answer. I think I've been to nearly 200 restaurants so far, and they're all memorable. It's really hard to rank them, but if I had to choose, I'd say Chinese food often moves me (laughs)."
"Kodoku no Gourmet" is a live-action adaptation of the manga of the same name, written by Masayuki Kusumi and illustrated by Jiro Taniguchi. It depicts the blissful moments of "eating freely" at restaurants that the protagonist, Goro Inogashira, an import goods dealer, finds while on business. The new season, "Season 11," is currently airing, approximately three and a half years after "Season 10," which aired in October 2022.
