Former Hiroki Narimiya Discusses His Return to Aibou After Resuming Entertainment Activities

The popular drama series “Aibou Season 23,” starring actor Yutaka Mizutani, will start in October.

Since its debut as a special drama in 2000, it has now been 24 years. In the current series, he reunites with the first partner, Yasufumi Terawaki, as Mizutani’s character, Ukyo Sugishita, solves difficult cases.

Amid this, there is growing anticipation for the long-awaited return of “Hiroki Narimiya.” He is currently active under his real name, Hiroshige Narimiya. On Instagram, he showcases his unchanged physique, generating a lot of reactions.

 

The keyword “a person who was supposed to be saved by Ukyo.”

 

A TV network insider says:

 

“There have been rumors about Narimiya’s return for a while now, but this time, the pre-release announcement included a description stating, ‘A person who was supposedly saved by Ukyo in a past season becomes deeply involved in an incident.’ After seeing this, some fans are excitedly speculating, ‘Could it be Narimiya?’ “

Narimiya first appeared in October 2012 during “Season 11” and played Sugishita’s partner, “Kai Toru,” for about three years. The age-gap duo, with Sugishita referring to him as “Kaito-kun,” was a unique pairing among the series’ partners and was very popular among fans.

Moreover, his character’s arc ended with him killing a criminal who had escaped justice, resulting in his dismissal from the police force. This shocking “fall into darkness” storyline became a major talking point.

Narimiya retired from the entertainment industry in December 2016. After living abroad and other experiences, he returned to the industry this January, reverting to his real name.

Although there were some reports of a “feud” with Mizutani, their actual relationship is good. Mizutani affectionately called him “Naru” and remained concerned about him even after his retirement.

In the New Year’s Day special of “Aibou Season 22,” broadcast on January 1st this year, Narimiya appeared in a flashback scene using footage from his time on the show.

 

There were also scenes reminiscent of former President Trump.

“Narimiya, who has resumed his acting career, seems to be doing well with drama shoots and other work. However, he himself doesn’t think he can return to Aibou immediately. His goal is to make a fresh start, steadily build up his acting career, and eventually stand alongside Mizutani again. For this reason, he is prioritizing acting roles among the many job offers he receives.” (said an entertainment agency insider)

Mizutani is now 72 years old. In a 2022 interview with Shukan Shincho, he mentioned…

“Recently, there have been fewer action scenes even in Aibou.”

He revealed that this was due to consideration from those around him.

“It seems that his health has been excellent since the start of this year, and he continues to perform in a way that doesn’t show his age. On set, Terawaki serves as the mood maker, giving high-fives to all the staff and co-stars every day.” (said a production company insider)

It is said. 

The production team is also solid. One of the show’s features is that it doesn’t have a fixed screenwriter; instead, it brings together multiple writers to create fresh and sometimes challenging content.

“The new series is infused with social satire. It begins with an attack on a high-ranking government official, which is said to be inspired by the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in the U.S.” (said a production company insider)

It seems that a massive conspiracy will unfold in the story. It wouldn’t feel out of place for Narimiya’s character, Kai, to “join” in this narrative.

Online, fans are expressing their wishes, saying:

“I want to see an episode or movie where all the previous partners are gathered together.”

“I want to see a scene of Kaito-kun holding a child with Etsuko-san.”

The anticipation for his return is strong and growing.

When I inquired via email about Narimiya’s return to Aibou, his agent responded…

“That is not true.”

He responded.

As a tightly bonded “partner,” I hope to see the day when Narimiya stands beside Mizutani again.