Seven new cast members have been announced for the NHK Taiga drama "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" (General TV, Sunday 8pm and other channels), revealing that Isobe Hiroyuki from the rock band "Alexandros," actors Mikata Ryosuke and Irei Katakana will be making their first appearance in a taiga drama. Isobe will play Chosokabe Motochika, a Sengoku period warlord from Tosa (present-day Kochi Prefecture), Mikata will play Mibuchi Fujihide, a servant of the shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, and Irei will play Endo Naotsune, a senior vassal of Azai Nagamasa.
It has also been revealed that Wada Masato will play the role of Imai Sokyu, a wealthy merchant from Sakai; Maggie will play Tsuda Souki, a wealthy merchant and tea master from Sakai; Abe Ryohei will play Ishinari Tomomichi, a senior vassal of the Miyoshi clan, who wielded great power in the Kinki region, and one of the Miyoshi Three; and Ikeuchi Mansaku will play Asakura Kageakira, a cousin of Yoshikage and a member of the Asakura clan, a Sengoku period lord in Echizen. This will be Maggie's first appearance in a taiga drama in 27 years, since "Genroku Ryoran" (1999).
Chief Producer Matsukawa Hirotaka, who is in charge of production, commented, "The keyword that is common to all the characters we are announcing this time is 'eccentric characters.' Starting with Chosokabe Motochika, the Tosa hero who Sengoku fans are excited about, there are also the many evil spirits that the brothers will encounter in Kyoto and Sakai. Please look forward to the third chapter, 'Nobunaga's Journey to Kyoto,' which begins next week!"
"BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" is the 65th taiga drama. It depicts the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers, Hidenaga (Koichiro) and his older brother Hideyoshi (Tōkichirō), who achieve the great feat of unifying the country with their strong bond. It is a success story of hope and dreams, depicting the rise to power.
