It has been revealed that Kuranosuke Sasaki will appear in Fuji TV's Thursday drama series "Last Note" (Thursdays at 10 PM), which will air in July and stars actress Yuki Uchida and Takuto Teranishi of the popular group "timelesz". Sasaki will play the role of Teranishi's "toxic father," and he said, "He's a hopeless, nasty father who has had a downfall and behaves controllingly towards his son. I'm grateful and will do my best to fulfill the role."
This love story is the latest work from producer Reiko Misao, who has worked on shows like "Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon" and "Even If You Don't Do It," and is written by Tomomi Matoba, who has worked on popular marriage suspense dramas such as "Otto yo, shinde kurenai ka?" (TV Tokyo). The story follows Aoi Ichise (played by Uchida), a 49-year-old woman who has gone through marriage, divorce, and setbacks at work and is living a life of maintaining the status quo, and Sumiharu Higuchi (played by Teranishi), a 30-year-old man who gave up on his dreams and lives a life of suppressing his true self after trouble befalling his best friend. The two meet by chance, and despite their nearly 20-year age difference and various interpersonal relationships, they are repeatedly hit by insurmountable obstacles, but they are irresistibly drawn to each other...
Sasaki will play Higuchi Masumi, the father of the protagonist, Sumiharu. Having lost his wife early on, he raised Sumiharu on his own. He once ran a small construction company and was quite successful, but it went bankrupt due to changing times. Having lost the will to make a comeback, he is now living a life of decline. He has become a "toxic father," imposing his ideals on Sumiharu and behaving in a controlling manner. This will be his first collaboration with Uchida in approximately 19 years, since "Bambino!" (Nippon Television Network / 2007).
It was also announced that Maki Sakai will be appearing in the drama. Sakai will play Sagawa Yuko, the best friend of the protagonist, Ichinose Aoi (Uchida). They have been friends since middle school, and since they share the same birthday, they celebrate each other's birthdays every year. Although she had longed to get married since she was little, she spent her days taking care of her father and ended up in her 40s without having time for romance. At that time, she gets caught up in an incident that leads to Aoi and Higuchi Sumiharu (Teranishi) meeting... This will be Sakai's first time co-starring with Uchida in 11 years, since "Gisou no Fufu" (Nippon Television Network / 2015).
◇Comment from Maki Sakai
--Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer.
As a drama fan myself, I am very happy to be able to fully immerse myself in Producer Misao's world. I have been given a very interesting and challenging role. I would be happy if I could make everyone who watches feel excited. I am looking forward to acting with Yuki-chan, whom I haven't seen in a while, and with Teranishi-san, whom I will be meeting for the first time. I will do my best to make this a drama that will add color to everyone's summer nights.
◇Comment from Kuranosuke Sasaki
--Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer.
It's been a while since I've been in a Thursday drama, and the theme is "adult love." Eight years ago, I had my first experience in a love story drama with "Twilight Meteor Shower," so I was looking forward to seeing what kind of role I would have this time... and it turns out I'm playing a "toxic parent."
It's been a while since I last saw Yuki Uchida, it's my first time meeting Takuto Teranishi, and I'm looking forward to working with Maki Sakai again. I'm incredibly excited. I hope to be a valuable element in the story of the protagonists whose lives are dramatically changed by their extraordinary encounters.
--How do you plan to portray the character of Masumi?
He's apparently a hopelessly unpleasant father who's had a life of downfall and behaves controllingly towards his son. I'll gratefully do my best.
