NHK's "Drama 10: The Uncertain Courtroom of Themis" (General TV, Tuesdays at 10 PM), starring Matsuyama Kenichi, aired its sixth episode (aired February 24th), the first in three weeks after a hiatus due to coverage of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The scene drew attention: the testimony of Akiba Kazuma, who was sentenced to death for the "Maebashi Family Murder Case," at the hearing for his retrial, where he pleads for acquittal. The "protagonist" is Asuka Saito, who plays Akiba's daughter, Yoshizawa Aki. The same scene also features Narumi Yui Narumi, who plays Onozaki Noa, a lawyer who joins Aki's defense team, and Tsunematsu Yuri, who plays Ochiai Chika, an elite assistant judge, bringing together three actors of the same age.
◇This is Asuka Saito first appearance in an NHK drama
Although Saito, Narumi, and Tsunematsu are all 27 years old and were born in 1998, their career paths are completely different.
Saito is best known as a former member of the popular idol group Nogizaka46. Nogizaka46 was formed in 2011 as the "official rival of AKB48," and Saito joined at the age of 13 (first generation), the youngest member at the time. She gradually rose to prominence, and since their 11th single, "Inochi wa Utsukushii," released in 2015, she has led the group as an ace, being selected for every single song until her graduation at the end of 2022 (her graduation concert will be held in May 2023).
While still a member of Nogizaka46, she was active as a model in fashion magazines and events. In 2021, she started a variety show called "Hamasuka Broadcasting Club" (TV Asahi) with Hama Okamoto of "OKAMOTO'S", which is still airing. As an actor, she played the heroine in the 2017 film "You Are the Apple of My Eye" and starred in "Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!", which was made into a TV series and film in 2020. After graduating from the group, she gained attention for her role as Hoshino Ai in the live-action "Oshi no Ko ", but "The Uncertain Courtroom of Themis" marks her first appearance in an NHK drama.
◇ Yui Narumi, whose excellent performance in the Asadora"Anpan " is still fresh in our memory
Narumi, who made her drama debut in the NHK morning drama "Natsuzora" in the first half of 2019, has a career that contrasts in some ways with Saito. Of the three 27-year-olds, she began her career the latest, in 2018. Since "Natsuzora," she has steadily advanced her career, starring in the film "Understanding Happy End," due for release in December 2021, and has also appeared in a number of commercials, including for the job information website "Revatec," the Nintendo Switch version of "Super Detective Casebook Raincode," "Kuraray," "JCB Card," and "Wakatsuki Construction." However, at this time, she still seemed like a "little known to those in the know."
One turning point came when she moved to the talent agency Flamme in April 2023. Shortly after, it was announced that she would be appearing in the same year's taiga drama "What Will Ieyasu Do?". In her first taiga drama, she played the somewhat mischievous Ina, the daughter of Honda Tadakatsu ( Yuki Yamada ), renowned as the "strongest man in the Sengoku period." Last year, she played the lead role in the second episode of NHK's omnibus drama "After the Earthquake" (later adapted into a film), "A Landscape with Iron," before returning to her first Asadora in six years with " Anpan ." Her brilliant performance as Kotoko, a normally demure girl who develops a sharp tongue when she drinks, is still fresh in our memory. Her long-awaited heroine role in "The Uncertain Court of Themis" seems to have been a frequent appearance in NHK productions.
Yuri Tsunematsu, who began acting at age 7 and has a 20-year career
And finally, there is Tsunematsu, who started out as a child actor and began acting at the age of seven, making her a "young veteran" with a 20-year career. Needless to say, she has the most appearances in dramas and films out of the "three 27-year-olds." Director Kurosawa Kiyoshi, known for films such as "Tokyo Sonata" and "The Walking Invaders," once described her as "a formidable actress," so there is no doubt about her talent, and she has the depth to handle comedy, serious roles, and action with equal ease, as well as the power of her eyes that can sometimes pierce her opponents.
In "The Uncertain Courtroom of Themis," he adds spice to the series as the unwavering, elite assistant judge, Ochiai. The climax of the retrial hearing in episode 6, featuring Saito, Narumi, and Tsunematsu, is the tearful plea of Ms. Saito, the daughter of a former death row inmate. But it was Tsunematsu, as Ochiai, who sparked the brilliant tension and release (or, more accurately, the tension from the release) that led up to that point. The excitement was only possible thanks to the lead-up of the "odd couple who are concerned about appearing on TV" in the courtroom with the media in attendance: "Judge Kadokura ( Kenichi Endo) who keeps staring straight at the camera" and "Ochiai, who for some reason isn't wearing his glasses today." Tsunematsu's performance was truly stable and reliable.
In the drama "The Uncertain Court of Themis," three 27-year-olds cross paths in a crucial scene that will become a turning point for the future. This generation (born in 1998) has long been attracting attention as the "Flower Class of '98" or the "Miracle Generation" due to the abundance of talented people in the entertainment industry (including Hiyori Shiraishi, who is currently in the spotlight for the historical drama "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）"), but I feel like I've once again caught a glimpse of the "depth of this generation."
