Why Yuji Oda Is Missing from the New Odoru Daisousasen Despite His Return for the World Athletics Championships

Oda Returns to “World Championships in Athletics” to Cope with “Oda Loss”!

Actor Yuji Oda (56) has been announced as the ambassador for the World Athletics Championships, which will be held at the National Stadium in Tokyo next September.

Oda has served as a caster for 13 consecutive tournaments since the 1997 World Championships in Athens, Greece, amassing an impressive 25 years in the role. His song “All My Treasures” has been used as the theme song since 2007 and has become well-established.

After stepping away from his role as a caster following the 2022 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, he is making his return just three years later.

“Oda-san has left numerous memorable quotes during the World Championships, such as ‘I’m glad to be born on this planet!’ and has had a strong presence. His departure from the 2022 event was reportedly due to cost-cutting measures. However, the 2023 Championships held in Budapest without Oda garnered little attention, and the media mainly reported on the viewers’ ‘Oda loss.’ With next year’s event being in Tokyo, it seems TBS decided to bring Oda back to ensure a lively atmosphere,” said a broadcasting official.

However, while he will return to the World Athletics Championships, he was unable to reprise his role in his representative work, that particular production.

What is the reason Oda is not in the movie?

On October 11, the first part of a two-part movie in the Odoru Daisousasen series, titled Shinji Muroi: The Invincible, was released, with the second part, Shinji Muroi: The Eternal, scheduled for release on November 15. The protagonist, Shinji Muroi, is played by Toshiro Yanagiba (63), a popular character.

The series began with a drama airing on Fuji TV in 1997, and the film adaptation became a massive hit. This theatrical release marks the first since Odoru Daisousasen: THE FINAL New Hope in 2012, but Oda’s name is notably absent even in supporting roles. So why is that?

“There were whispers of a ‘bad blood’ rumor during the filming of the drama, where Oda and Yanagiba reportedly clashed, with Yanagiba even suggesting he wanted to resign, saying, ‘Let me die in the line of duty!’ However, they co-starred in the subsequent four theatrical releases, suggesting they deepened their bond.

For the promotion of this film, director Katsuyuki Motohiro, scriptwriter Ryoichi Kimizuka, and producer Chihiro Kameyama held a live commentary on X (formerly Twitter) on September 28. During the session, Kameyama revealed, ‘Of course, I had informed Oda-san that Yanagiba would agree to have him play Shinji Muroi before we got his OK.’ This indicates that Oda is not completely distancing himself from the Odoru project. There’s been no mention of Oda rejecting a sequel,” said an entertainment reporter.

On social media, fans are expressing hope for Oda’s starring or supporting role in future productions, but a Toho insider disclosed:

“Oda was deeply inspired by the late Chosuke Ikariya, who played Detective Waku. On the opening day of the second theatrical release in 2003, which became the biggest hit, Oda was seen hugging Ikariya, who was battling illness, and crying. However, the following year, Ikariya passed away. For Oda, Ikariya’s presence was a significant motivation for him to take on the lead role. While theatrical productions continued, it seems Oda’s passion for the project gradually waned. For him, Odoru might now represent a sort of graduation.”

Fans eagerly await both Oda in the World Athletics Championships and Oda in the Odoru series, but the future remains uncertain.