Kagawa Repays a Long-Standing Debt with TV Drama Return

His first drama appearance since Roppongi Class.

Actor Teruyuki Kagawa (59) will star in the WOWOW drama Continuous Drama W Sai (Disaster), which is set to air and stream in the spring of 2025.

This completely original work will depict how a man played by Kagawa appears in the lives of six innocent characters, each grappling with inner turmoil, and how an inevitable disaster strikes mercilessly. Kagawa will portray six different individuals, changing his appearance, speech, facial expression, personality, and mannerisms. However, the details of the characters and the storyline remain shrouded in mystery.

“In August 2022, Kagawa publicly apologized after being reported in Shukan Shincho (Shincho Publishing) for sexual misconduct towards a hostess at a Ginza club. Following the incident, he lost various TV jobs, including commercials and regular programs, and the atmosphere around his kabuki performances, under his stage name Ichikawa Nakamura, became one of self-restraint. However, he made his stage comeback in kabuki in December 2022.

In August 2023, Kagawa issued a statement on the official website of his company, where he serves as CEO, declaring his focus on his future activities in kabuki and insects. It was believed that he had given up on returning to screen projects, but now, after a three-year hiatus since his role in Roppongi Class (TV Asahi) in 2022, his return to TV drama has been confirmed” (Television industry insider).

The directors and screenwriters for Kagawa’s comeback drama are Yutaro Seki (37) and Kentaro Hirase (38) from the director collective Gogatsu. Gogatsu started as a film production project stemming from the research lab of Masahiko Sato (70) at the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School. In their first feature film, Miyamatsu and Yamashita (2022), which starred Kagawa, the film was officially invited to the New Directors section of the 70th San Sebastián International Film Festival, attracting international attention.

 

The Big Debt Created Back Then

“Miyamatsu and Yamashita was Kagawa’s first solo lead role in 14 years since Tokyo Sonata. The story revolves around Miyamatsu, a bit-part actor who has lost his memory, and was a highly creative and original project led by three renowned directors—Sato, Hirase, and Seki—who aimed to create a new cinematic experience through new methods. Despite Kagawa’s vast acting experience, it was said that he was particularly enthusiastic about the project, given the bold approach taken by the talented creators.

However, just three months before the release, Kagawa’s sexual misconduct was reported. Amidst him stepping down from various CM ads and programs, the film somehow managed to be released. Yet, understandably, Kagawa was unable to participate in any promotional activities for the movie.

As a result, the three directors had to handle the unfamiliar tasks of promoting the movie and attending events on their own. Kagawa was reportedly very concerned about the trouble he caused them. However, it seems that he has finally been able to repay them through his work. (Industry insider)”

Kagawa has commented on his lead role in this WOWOW drama:

“After reading the script, I felt that it was filled with a dark, heavy atmosphere that fits me perfectly as a man of the past, with the unspoken depth in each character. I couldn’t help but imagine what kind of past might lurk behind each character as I read between the lines.”

Given how significant this comeback is for Kagawa, it seems that a powerful performance is to be expected.

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