It has been announced that Takashi Naito will appear as Saito Toshimitsu in the NHK Taiga drama " BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!） " (NHK General, Sundays at 8 PM, etc.), starring actor Taiga Nakano. Saito Toshimitsu was a chief retainer of the Akechi family. Possessing both intelligence and courage, he was Mitsuhide's right-hand man, enjoying his absolute trust. He played a leading role in the "Honnoji Incident" and the "Battle of Yamazaki." A photo of Naito in costume has also been released.
Naito revealed, "My first collaboration with Jun Kaname (who plays Mitsuhide) was on a drama depicting the world of host clubs. It was a long shoot that lasted for one season, and at the time, Kaname played a young host and I played a legendary owner, which was the complete opposite of our roles this time. So I was really looking forward to working with him again like this."
"This time, I'm playing a character who serves Akechi Mitsuhide, and although I'm older, I'm supporting and honoring Mitsuhide. I'm portraying him with a steady presence, feeling that Mitsuhide is not just 'Lord' but 'Your Majesty.' When we're filming, he's extremely focused, but when we're off set, Kaname is as cheerful as ever, and we joke around, making it a fun and comfortable set to work on," he said.
" BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" is the 65th Taiga drama. With Toyotomi Hidenaga (Koichiro) as the protagonist, it depicts the miraculous feat of unifying Japan together with his older brother Hideyoshi (Tokichiro) through their strong bond, a success story of dreams and hopes.
