Koki Mitani Talks to Modern Youth in Masaki Suda Drama, Now Featuring Shun Oguri

Anticipated Surprise Appearance by Yo Oizumi

The drama “If This World Were a Stage, Where Would the Dressing Room Be?” (Fuji TV, nicknamed Moshigaku), scripted by Kōki Mitani (64) for the first time in 25 years for a commercial prime-time slot, is drawing intense attention with just two episodes remaining.

Set in 1984 Shibuya, the original story, based on Mitani’s own experiences, depicts the struggles and setbacks of young people who have yet to find their place in the world. Masaki Suda (32) stars as director Mikase Kube, who launches a theater troupe to revive a struggling strip club affected by revisions to the Entertainment Business Law. Despite staging Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Winter’s Tale, audience numbers remain low. Pressured by the owner (Silvia Grab, 51) to generate weekly sales of 1.2 million yen, the characters navigate a thrilling and heart-pounding coming-of-age ensemble story.

The drama reached a new level of excitement in the final 15 seconds of episode 9, when legendary director Yukio Ninagawa was portrayed by Shun Oguri (42), sending social media into a frenzy.

“It’s Oguri’s first appearance in a Mitani work since the 2022 NHK taiga drama The 13 Lords of the Shogun, three years ago. With this, the Moshigaku cast now includes 15 actors who also appeared in The 13 Lords of the Shogun. As the finale approaches, expectations are rising for a surprise appearance by Yo Oizumi (52), who played Minamoto no Yoritomo,” said a producer from the production company.

Leading the star-studded cast with full energy is Masaki Suda himself. Having also played Minamoto no Yoshitsune in the taiga drama, Suda left a strong impression with his portrayal of a character blending innocence and ruthlessness.

Mitani remarked upon seeing Suda as Yoshitsune: “When I saw a multi-faceted Yoshitsune, I realized he could handle even more complex, layered roles. It inspired me to write this new role for him.”

Suda responded: “Mitani-san’s stories always show humans moving in multiple dimensions. So you touch on comedy and also on serious drama. As an actor, it’s challenging, but it’s thrilling to know I get to do it all over again. I’m very excited.”

This dynamic tailor-made script interaction between writer and lead actor is what drives the unique energy of Moshigaku.

Kōki Mitani Founded the Tokyo Sunshine Boys in 1983

The clash between these two creative forces explodes in episode 8.

In a thrilling scene, Rika’s ex-lover Toro (Toma Ikuta, 41) hears a plan to sell Rika (Fumi Nikaidō, 31) in Kabukichō for 1.2 million yen. Enraged, Suda’s character Mikase Kube points a toy gun at him.

“The moment Kube’s eyes, bloodshot and wide, brim with tears, trembling with the fear of possibly killing someone for the first time, his face turns almost explosively red. Toro, terrified by Kube’s compelling performance, drops the knife. This unrestrained, fierce acting, with emotions running completely unchecked, was simply breathtaking,” said the production company’s director.

Though everyone knew it was a toy gun, Kube shouts:
“Which part of this is a toy?!”

What resided in Kube’s heart at that moment? It was the lesson passed down by Shakespearean actor Reizaburō Koreo (Kazuyuki Asano, 71):

“The most important thing in acting is believing in yourself.”

This is precisely the inner resolve that aspiring actors tirelessly cultivate—and perhaps also the silent determination held by young people living in that era.

Mitani founded the “Tokyo Sunshine Boys” in 1983 as part of the “Fourth Generation” of small theater. Looking back, a producer familiar with Mitani’s intentions explained:

“Shibuya in the ’80s was full of people passionately chasing their eternal dreams. Everyone believed that brilliance would last forever. In contrast, today’s world has seen once-assured futures crumble, and people live with underlying anxiety. Through this drama, we wanted to send a message to today’s youth. By portraying the ’80s young people who truly believed in themselves, we hoped to inspire those struggling with uncertainty in the present. That was the motivation for creating this work.”

Set in the small theaters of 1984 Shibuya, Moshigaku pays abundant homage to Shakespeare while portraying young people who continue to struggle and fight for their dreams. With two episodes left, the question remains: will the story deliver its ultimate catharsis? Missing it is not an option.