It has been revealed that the popular anime "Time Agent," which originated from the Chinese video streaming service "bilibili," will be made into a live-action drama starring EXILE/FANTASTICS' Sato Taiki and actor Hongo Kanata.
The original anime "Time Agent -LINKCLICK-" is a smash hit that has set an astonishing record of 850 million views worldwide on bilibili. It has garnered enthusiastic popularity not only in Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, but also in English-speaking countries, and has been translated into over 20 languages to date, including dubbing and subtitles. In Japan, "Time Agent -LINKCLICK- Eito Hen" has been airing on Fuji TV since February.
The retro-looking "Time Light Photo Studio" is run by photographer Toki (Sato) and his partner Hikaru (Hongo). Toki has the ability to possess the photographer and travel back in time, and Hikaru also has the ability to sense what happened when the photo was taken, so people who have heard rumors about them bring them various requests... This is the story.
The series will be written by Atsuhiro Tomioka, who has worked on the anime series "Pokémon" and the special effects drama "Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity," and directed by Hiroaki Yuasa, who has worked on the film "Shino Can't Say Her Name."
The drama series "Tokimitsu Agent" (Tokai TV/Fuji TV) will start airing on April 11th, every Saturday from 11:40pm. It will consist of 10 episodes and will be exclusively streamed on FOD after the broadcast ends.
◇Comment from Taiki Sato
-Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer.
The story was so interesting that I read the script in no time. This will be my first time acting alongside Hongo Kanata, and I'm really looking forward to acting with him. I've also heard that it's a joint production between Tokai TV, FOD, and bilibili, so I'm happy to be involved in such a big project.
--What kind of person is Toki? Are there any similarities between you and him?
Toki has the ability to dive into the person who takes his photo. He's a big foodie and loves mayonnaise (lol). I think that's what makes him so charming and cute, and the way he acts on emotion rather than thinking is similar to me, so it was easy to play him. He's also bright and friendly, so I thought Toki was similar to my normal self.
-Please tell us your impression of your partner, Hongo.
Through various works, I thought that Hongo-san has a very aura about him. I imagined him to be a cool and quiet person, but he is actually very cheerful and approachable. We have a lot in common, such as the things we like, and we often have fun talking about various things.
--Please tell us any stories about the photographs and cameras that are key items in the drama.
There was a time when I was crazy about film cameras, and I have three or four of them. At that time, I often took photos of the members and uploaded them to my social media accounts. When one of the members found out about this, he gave me a film camera as a birthday gift.
--If you had special powers like the Japanese crested ibis, what kind of photo would you like to dive into?
I would like to dive into a photo of EXILE's ATSUSHI or TAKAHIRO and sing an EXILE song as a vocalist. If this could really come true, I would like to do it right now.
-Please give a message to our viewers.
Each episode will feature a variety of human dramas. There are plenty of scenes that will move you with their passionate feelings, make you want to cry, and make you chuckle. The guests are also very impressive. Please look forward to it.
◇Comment from Kanata Hongo
-Please tell us how you felt when you received the offer.
When I heard about this role, I watched the original anime, and it was a very interesting and captivating story, so I was very happy to receive the offer. The setting is also interesting, and I'm sure we'll be able to create something wonderful, so we're both working hard every day on filming.
--What kind of person is Hikaru? Are there any similarities between you and him?
Hikaru is a very cool character, in contrast to Toki. I think that contrast is what makes this pair interesting, so I'm conscious of playing him cool. Hikaru is also the type of person who thinks things through before acting, which I think is similar to me.
-Please tell us your impression of your partner Sato.
Sato-kun is very cheerful, friendly, pure and very cute. He has a lot of energy when he puts his heart into his acting. He's so Toki-like and I think he's wonderful.
--Please tell us any stories about the photographs and cameras that are key items in the drama.
I majored in photography at university, so I used to take pictures with film cameras and develop them in the darkroom. That's why I know a lot about cameras, but on the set of the drama, Sato-kun takes more photos than I do, and I'm completely defeated (laughs). The show hands me a camera and asks me to take some behind-the-scenes shots, but Sato-kun takes about 5 shots for every 1 I take, so I really can't look him in the eye.
--If you had a special ability like Toki or Hikaru, what would you like to do?
I'd love to get into a photo with dogs and cats and have fun (laughs).
-Please give a message to our viewers.
The highlight of the show is the buddy relationship between Toki and Hikaru. I hope you'll watch as the two of them grow and develop. Also, the guest actors change every episode, so you'll be able to watch with a fresh feeling. Please look forward to it.
