Three new stills showing the character of the protagonist Song Jiang, played by actor Yuji Oda, from the drama series "Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden" (WOWOW), were released on February 10th. Oda plays the quiet but charismatic Song Jiang, who is overflowing with ambition and virtue, and says that he feels that "I learned a lot from this work and it has had a positive impact on my life."
The original work is the monumental historical epic novel "Suikoden" series (19 volumes, Shueisha Bunko) by Kitakata Kenzo. It is a reconstruction of "Suikoden," considered one of the three great Chinese classics, and has sold over 11.6 million copies. It is the first of the "Great Suikoden" trilogy, which will be followed by "Yang Lingden" and "Yue Feiden."
The story is set in China at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty (early 12th century). It tells the story of a group of outcasts who, troubled by the corruption of the world, seek justice even if it means breaking the law. It depicts the will to resist unreasonable authority and the bonds of friendship, a theme still relevant today, as a grand ensemble drama. In addition to Song Jiang (played by Oda), the cast also includes Chao Gai (played by Takashi Sorimachi), the leader of Liangshan Marsh, spearman Lin Chong (played by Kazuya Kamenashi), Yang Zhi (played by Shinnosuke Mitsushima), and his wife, Ji Renmei (played by Haru).
Song Jiang, played by Oda, is a low-ranking official on the surface, but he is concerned about the corrupt world and takes up his pen to write the "Taitengyodou" (The Way of Heavenly Reform) - a call to reform society - and stands up to state power together with his comrades. Although he does not possess outstanding characteristics such as military power or intelligence, he is a man who is close to all people and draws those around him with his warm-hearted personality. With a passionate heart and strong bonds with his comrades, he is the leader of Liangshan Marsh who stands up to the country.
The three newly released stills give a glimpse into Song Jiang's personality and way of life: one in which he concentrates on writing "Kaitian Xing Dao," a book that inspires passion and hope in the hearts of his comrades; another in which he is heartbroken when he sees a village being attacked by bandits; and another in which he smiles and talks with Lu Zhishen (Kaneko Nobushige), his right-hand man.
Regarding his starring role in this film, Oda revealed his feelings, saying, "I was really looking forward to what I would learn from being able to take part in this work. I thought I might discover something I didn't know yet, and that I might encounter something that would help me grow as a person through this work." After the long filming period, he said, "I learned a lot from this work, and I think it had a positive impact on my life."
Song Jiang is a character that stands out from the energetic protagonists that Oda has played up until now. Oda spoke about the struggles and satisfaction he faced in creating the character, saying, "While he is surrounded by many hero-type friends, the protagonist is by no means a hero. However, everyone has to follow Song Jiang. I took on the challenge of how to play the role through trial and error every day."
Sorimachi, who played Chao Gai, the other leader of Liangshanbo alongside Song Jiang, commented on his co-starring with Oda, "We've known each other for a long time, so we naturally got along well, and I think that good atmosphere is well reflected in each other's acting." The story of the two leaders is also a major highlight.
Looking back on the filming, Oda said, "There are some works where some scenes are shot on amazing locations, but with this film, the filming felt like every scene was a climax. Although the time period and setting are different, I think there are many parts that can be applied to us living today. This work made me realize many things, such as the parts of people that remain the same (even as times change), and conversely, the parts that may be lacking in modern times."
The drama series "Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden" will be broadcast on WOWOW every Sunday at 10pm starting February 15th. It will also be streamed simultaneously on WOWOW On Demand and Lemino. There are 7 episodes in total.
