Bayside Shakedown: A Trick for Longtime Fans in the New Theatrical Version

The strategy of having only two preview screenings

Oda Yuji (56) stars in the Fuji TV drama series “Odoru Daisousasen,” with the first part of the two-part movie “Muroi Shinji: The Undefeated”, set to be released on October 11, and the second part “Muroi Shinji: The One Who Lives On”, scheduled for November 15. Both works feature the popular character Muroi Shinji, played by Yanagiba Toshiro (63). This new installment in the “Odoru” series is the first since “Odoru Daisousasen THE FINAL: A New Hope”, in 2012.

The staff for both productions reunites the key figures who supported the “Odoru” series, including producer Kameyama Chihiro, screenwriter Kimizuka Ryouichi, and director Motohiro Katsuyuki. In addition to Yanagiba in the role of Muroi, familiar cast members such as Kakei Toshio (62) as Shinjou Kentarou and Maya Miki (60) as Okita Hitomi will also appear alongside new cast members like Fukumoto Riko (23), Saito Jun (17), and Matsushita Kouhei (37).

“There were only two preview screenings before the release, and no completion screening was held. While the content of the work has gradually become clear through theater trailers and short special programs on Fuji TV just before the release, limiting the previews to a minimum was likely a strategy to prevent spoilers and to boost attendance,” said an industry insider.

In advance of the release, Fuji TV rebroadcast the drama version during weekday afternoons and aired the movie version on Saturdays at 9 PM in the Saturday Premium time slot. The final episode of the drama aired at 2:48 PM, and due to the holiday broadcast on September 23, it recorded an average household rating of 4.2% (according to Video Research, Kanto region). This rating was significantly higher than other programs in the same time slot.

The excitement is growing at Fuji TV as well.

Also, the theatrical version of the first film, “Odoru Daisousasen THE MOVIE,” which was released in 1998 and aired on September 28, recorded a viewership rating of 9.7%. The second film, “Odoru Daisousasen THE MOVIE 2: Rainbow Bridge wo Fuusa seyo!” (released in 2003), which has earned 17.35 billion yen and still holds the record for the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film, was also aired on October 5 and recorded a viewership rating of 9.8%. Both shows topped the ratings for that time slot on the same network, indicating their strong popularity.

“Currently, Fuji TV is particularly struggling with household viewership ratings for weekend prime time shows (Golden Prime Time, from 7 to 11 PM), but I doubt the higher-ups ever expected that the past films of ‘Odoru’ would be this popular.

The Monday 9 PM time slot had a bit of success with ‘Umi no Hajimari’ last season, but before that, almost all shows, including Monday 9 PM dramas, were failures. Perhaps because of that, although they have been turning their own dramas into movies one after another, such as ‘Lupin no Musume’ (2021), ‘Radiation House’ (2022), and ‘Ichikei no Karasu’ (2023), they have not produced a popular series since ‘Code Blue’ in recent years.

For Fuji TV, ‘Odoru’ is truly a prized trump card. Given this positive response, expectations are rising for the two-part movie project ‘Muroi Shinji,’ which is seen as a crucial venture for the company”, (TV station insider).

For fans of the classic ‘Odoru’ series, the release on October 11 is likely highly anticipated. Additionally, it is said that the movie includes devices within the story to further captivate such fans.

What are the devices designed to captivate long-time fans?

“The key figure in this work is Hinata Anzu, played by Fukumoto-san, who is the daughter of the serial killer Hinata Manami, portrayed by Kyoko Koizumi (58) in the film. Koizumi’s eccentric performance in the first film garnered attention as a new frontier. Her eerie grin, with braces exposing her teeth, became a topic of discussion even during this broadcast. Moreover, Hinata Manami reappears as a mastermind in the third installment, making her an indispensable famous villain in the film series.

For fans of the series, stories connected to past works amplify the emotional impact. Given that the full details of the plot have not been revealed prior to release, it is likely to generate significant buzz” (film reporter).

The 2005 film “Yogisha Muroi Shinji,” despite being a spin-off of the series, became a hit with a box office revenue of 3.83 billion yen. The latest installment in the “Odoru” series, “Muroi Shinji,” is expected to be a ‘new hope’ for Fuji TV.

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