The 11 new cast members for the NHK Taiga drama "Berabou," which will start on January 5, 2025, have been announced. In addition to comedian and illustrator Tekken, Naoko Iijima, Ryo Tamaki, Ryota Miura, Motoki Ochiai, and Shuntaro Miyao will be making their first appearance in a Taiga drama.
Tekken will play the role of Isoda Koryusai, an ukiyo-e artist who worked on "Hinagata Wakana Hatsumoyo," which was planned by the main character Tsutaju (Ryusei Yokohama Ryusei) and published together with Nishimuraya Yohachi (Nishimura Masahiko). Tekken commented, "I especially love taiga dramas, especially those about the Sengoku period, and I often watch them. It's an impossible story, but I often wondered what it would be like if I could appear in one. I was very surprised when I received an offer to appear in this taiga drama, and I thought that I would never have such an honor again, so I decided to appear."
Regarding the character he plays, Isoda Koryusai, he said, "I thought that the fact that I'm an artist might have something to do with it. I'm not confident in my acting, but I'm good at drawing, so I'd like people to see me drawing. I'm not very clear-spoken, and I'm not confident in my acting, so if possible, I'd like people to see me drawing. To that end, I'm currently practicing Koryusai's ukiyo-e."
Tanuma Okitsugu Ken Watanabe Ms. Iijima plays Tsutajige's mother-in-law, Fuji; Mr. Tamaki plays Shinzo Toyoshima, the head watchman of Matsubaya (Mr. Shona Bokura), a female brothel; Mr. Miura plays Chobei Urokogataya, the son and heir of Chobei Rinkogataya, a jimoto wholesaler in Edo; Mr. Ochiai plays Shigeyoshi Shimizu, the head of the Shimizu Tokugawa family, the three great lords; and Mr. Miyao plays Tanuma Mr. Ochiai plays Shigeyoshi Shimizu, the head of the Shimizu Tokugawa family, the three great lords of Japan.
Also appearing in the film were Ichihara Hayato, Inowaki Kai, Tokui Yu, Maeno Tomoya, and Hanafusa Mari. Ichihara will play the blind millionaire Toriyama Kengyo, Inowaki will play the ronin Shinnosuke who works with Hiraga Gennai, Tokui will play Tohachi, the head clerk at Urokogataya, Maeno will play Katsushika Hokusai's teacher and the greatest actor-artist of his time, Katsukawa Shunsho, and Hanafusa will play Horen-in, who raised Kenmaru (Kokoro Terada.
"Berabou" is the 64th taiga drama and depicts the life of Tsutaya Juzaburo who is said to have built the foundations of Japan's media industry and pop culture. The production team bills him as "a brilliant young man who was born with nothing - no parents, no money, no artistic talent - but became the darling of his time as the 'media king of Edo.'"