"Drama 1 Week" brings you a roundup of major drama news from the past week. This week (February 28th to March 6th) featured Ishiguro Ken's guest appearance in the final episode of the popular detective drama "Aibou Season 24" (TV Asahi), and Keita Machida's starring role as a blonde haired free school teacher in the drama series "Tatsuki Sensei is Too Sweet!" (Nippon TV). The two-part series covers these topics.
On March 4th, it was revealed that Keita Machida will be starring in the April NTV drama series "Tatsuki Sensei is Too Sweet!" (Saturdays at 9pm). He will play a teacher at a free school with striking blonde hair. The story follows Ukita Tatsuki (Machida), the "extremely sweet" headmaster of the free school "Yukanai," who helps children discover the "feelings they have locked away deep inside" through art and play. Matsumoto Honoka will also be appearing. Matsumoto will play Aomine Shizuku, a former junior high school teacher with a history of skipping school. She has an "overly serious" personality, the complete opposite of Tatsuki, and sometimes clashes with Tatsuki, who advocates a play-centered, "extremely sweet" style.
On the 4th, Wakana Matsumoto appeared at a press conference for her starring drama "Shoketsu" (NHK BS/BS Premium 4K, Sundays at 10 PM, 5 episodes) held at the NHK Broadcasting Center (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo). In the drama, Matsumoto plays Hiba Kikuno, a newspaper reporter investigating irregularities in medical school entrance exams. This is her first time playing a reporter, and Matsumoto commented, "From now on, when I'm interviewed, I'll think more carefully than ever about the reporter's thoughts when they prepare their questions, and I'd like to answer more carefully than ever before." Honami Suzuki, who plays Honami Suzuki, a medical school director who is at odds with Hiba, also attended the press conference. The drama will have a total of five episodes, with three main confrontation scenes between the two characters. Suzuki revealed, "There will be a switch of offense and defense, and there will also be some fun 'Matsumoto vs. Suzuki' confrontations." The drama begins on April 5th.
On the 4th, it was announced that Ishiguro Ken will be making a guest appearance in the final special episode, "Demon in the Darkness," (broadcast March 11th from 9:00 PM to 10:04 PM) of the popular detective drama "AIBOU Season 24" (TV Asahi), starring Mizutani Yutaka and Terawaki Yasufumi. This will be Ishiguro's first appearance in "AIBOU." He will play private detective Iwahashi Kenya, a former partner of Sugishita Ukyo (Mizutani). The Special Investigation Unit was originally a side-line department established by the Metropolitan Police Department to exile the uncontrollable Ukyo. Before Kameyama Kaoru (Terawaki) was assigned to the unit, six of Ukyo's subordinates were sent to work under him, but they all quit the Metropolitan Police Department one after another. While details about the six former subordinates hadn't been revealed until now, this will be the first time in the series' 25-year history that a "former partner" from before Kaoru will be appearing.
On the 5th, it was revealed that Mai Fukagawa will be starring in the TV Tokyo drama series "The Secrets of Weekend Travel 3: Do You Have to Get Married?" (Fridays at 12:52 AM), which will begin airing on April 3rd. In the third installment of the popular travel drama, she will play a romantic couple alongside Senga Kento of Kis-My-Ft2. The theme of Season 3 is "marriage." After five years of dating, Shindo Ayaka (Fukagawa) begins to consider marriage with her boyfriend Ono Takashi (Senga), but a certain incident causes her to worry about her future. One day, Ayaka sees a family on TV, sharing their true feelings through a "weekend trip." Before she knows it, she's already invited Takashi on a trip. The "travel emotion" unique to travel dramas, such as the scenery at their destinations, local cuisine, and alcohol, is also a highlight of the series.
On the 5th, 11 members of Sakurazaka46's third-generation group appeared at a preview screening of the video streaming service Lemino's original drama "Back Alley Hotel," held in Tokyo. In a talk on the topic of "Have you ever had a scary experience in a hotel?" in reference to the drama's setting, Odakura Rena shared a shocking story: "I stayed in a hotel on a school trip in elementary school. I thought the room seemed a little dark, so I removed the picture hanging in the room, and there it was, written in red: 'Help me.'" The drama is a coming-of-age fantasy set in a mysterious "back alley hotel" far from the hustle and bustle of the city, depicting the female guests' growth through a mysterious "otherworldly experience" one night. The 10-episode series will be available exclusively on Lemino from noon on the 6th.
On the 6th, it was announced that Jun Shison will be starring in the NTV drama series "No Tree Will Fall After Ten Cuts," which will begin airing on April 12th (Sundays at 10:30 PM). This will be Shison's first solo lead role in a commercial primetime drama. The story is planned by Yasushi Akimoto and has an entirely original script, depicting a turbulent, pure love story spanning Japan and Korea. The title, "No Tree Will Fall After Ten Cuts," is a Korean proverb that means "No matter how difficult something is, if you keep trying, you will surely succeed." Shison will play Kim Min-seok (Teru Aoki), a young Japanese man who is adopted into one of Korea's leading conglomerates. The drama will also be shot on location in Korea, marking his first attempt at acting in Korean.
