The main footage from the ongoing drama series "Kenzo Kitakata's Water Margin" (WOWOW/Lemino, Sundays at 10pm), starring actor Yuji Oda, which is currently airing and streaming, has been released, showcasing the lives of men living in a turbulent era, including Lin Chong (Kazuya Kamenashi) vs. Yang Zhi (Shinnosuke Mitsushima). The casting and behind-the-scenes stories from the filming of Tetsuji Tamayama, who plays Li Fu, and Shinnosuke Mitsushima, who plays Yang Zhi, have also been revealed.
The drama is based on the historical epic novel series "Water Margin" (19 volumes in total, Shueisha Bunko) by Kenzo Kitakata. Set in China during the late Northern Song dynasty (early 12th century), it tells the story of a rebellion by "outcasts" who gather at "Liangshan Marsh" with Song Jiang (played by Oda), who rises up against the corruption rampant in the world.
◇A tense showdown between Lin Chong and Yang Zhi
The newly released footage shows a tense duel between Yang Zhi (Mitsushima), who has come to Liangshan Lake as a government inspector, and Lin Chong (Kamenashi), who is ordered by Wang Lun (Hagiwara Masato), the absolute ruler of the Liangshan Lake fortress, to confront him. Lin Chong, the strongest spearman, and Yang Zhi, a righteous warrior who inherited the blood of Yang Ye, the founding hero, face off. After a back-and-forth battle, the duel ends when Lin Chong parries Yang Zhi's sword and thrusts his spear at him. Song Jiang (Oda Yuji) and Chao Gai (Sorimachi Takashi) watch the scene from afar.
To fight according to the country's orders, and to die if defeated... With pride as a soldier in his heart, Yang Zhi says, "Kill me." But Lin Chong says with a terrifying expression, "Is the current state of the palace worth fighting for to that extent? If you abandon the army like me, a path will open up for you," and then adds, "Go back to Kaifeng Prefecture and see once again the people who are using you! If you still want to be stabbed by this spear, then come back," and the video ends. The video raises expectations for the story of rebellion that will accelerate from here.
◇What was the reason for casting Tetsuji Tamayama as Li Fu, the greatest enemy of Liangshan?
Behind-the-scenes stories about the casting and filming of Tamayama, who played Li Fu, the greatest enemy of Liangshan, and Mitsushima, who played Yang Zhi, were also revealed.
Regarding Tamayama's casting as Li Fu, he explained his thoughts on the role, saying, "Li Fu is a key figure in the intelligence agency 'Qinglian Temple,' standing in the way of Liangshan, and was required to have a strong presence as the 'greatest enemy.' Producer Yasuaki Ohara of WOWOW said, 'In order to show the immense power of the nation that Song Jiang and his men are challenging, it was necessary to portray the unfathomable mystery and terror of the opposing Li Fu. Tamayama came to mind as someone who could express an unwavering core and elevate the story with his powerful presence. Tamayama has always played not only the protagonists of stories but also adversaries in a compelling way, so I was confident that he could portray both the straightforward and the twisted aspects of Li Fu, and that's why I offered him the role.'"
Regarding Tamayama's demeanor on set, Ohara said, "In the harsh and cold conditions of the set, Aorenji, who specializes in espionage, had a particularly large number of lines, but he delivered a wonderful performance and expression full of spirit, and Akio Otsuka(Yuan Ming), who is connected to him as 'Daisuke Jigen'..."
He recalled, "He communicated amicably with the other actors on set." Regarding the frenzied and eccentric performance he displayed throughout the film, he praised him, saying, "The memorable scenes where Li Fu tears up and eats the 'Tenka Xingdao' and drips candle wax were director Setsuro Wakamatsu's ideas, and Mr. Tamayama bravely took on all of them, which I think made Li Fu's presence stand out even more."
The casting of Mitsushima as Yang Zhi, a descendant of the heroes who built the Northern Song dynasty and a man who lived with pride as a soldier, was apparently "a very enthusiastic decision on the part of the production team." Ohara revealed, "We wanted someone who always possessed an unyielding and earnest spirit, and who could express Yang Zhi's strength and fighting spirit. That's why we approached Mitsushima. Director Wakamatsu had also worked with Mitsushima on a drama before and was apparently captivated by her passion and attitude towards acting."
Regarding Mitsushima's approach to filming, Ohara praised him, saying, "Yang Zhi is portrayed in two completely different ways: proudly fighting as a soldier in the story, and fighting after leaving the army and having lost everything. He brilliantly expressed the transformation of Yang Zhi, from the dignified Yang Zhi to the fierce, beast-like Yang Zhi fighting against the bandits, with just his body. There were times when the filming schedule had gaps of about a month, but even then, he remained immersed in the role, and I heard that he even took the 'Hair-Blowing Sword' home with him to maintain his focus and always feel its presence. I was truly impressed by his attitude of 'living the role.'" Regarding the filming set, where he spent time with Haru, who played his partner Jinmi, and Iwakawa Haru, who played his son Yang Ling, he expressed his gratitude, saying, "He communicated especially actively with Haru and Iwakawa from the start of filming, and they got along so well, like a 'real family.' Just having Mitsushima on set made all the staff smile, and he was truly a lifesaver."
