It was announced on February 20th that Hiroki Narimiya, who retired from the entertainment industry in 2016, will restart his acting career and star in ABEMA's original drama "Shinuhodo Aishite" (starting March 27th at 11pm). In his comeback role, he will play the role of a "seductive murderer" who captivates women, and co-star with Takimoto Miori as a married couple.
This is a live-action adaptation of the manga of the same name by Amagi Seimaru, known for "The Kindaichi Case Files" and other works, which have sold over 100 million copies. It is a pure love suspense story filled with "love" and "madness" between Masato Kamishiro (played by Narimiya), an ideal husband who is a murderer but outwardly devoted to his wife, and Mio (played by Takimoto), a wife who loves her husband wholeheartedly. It is a total of 8 episodes.
Regarding his role and the work, Narimiya said, "The character I play, Masato, is a murderer, but he is also a very charming man who captivates women. Also, many of Masato's backgrounds are revealed in flashback scenes, so I hope viewers will watch the film while considering whether or not this has influenced the Masato of today. Even one line can have two meanings, so I think it's a work that can be enjoyed no matter how many times you watch it and from different perspectives."
"I thought it was extremely difficult for the director and all the staff to distill this wonderful original work into eight episodes, but the charm of the original work has been condensed and put together so well that I think both fans of the original work and those who are seeing it for the first time will enjoy it. Are Masato's lines a lie, or the truth? Where does the truth lie? I hope you will watch the film while thinking about this," he said.
Author Amagi commented, "Shinuhodo Aishite is a suspense manga filled with strong murderous intent, and has also gained popularity as a picaresque story. When I heard that Narimiya Hiroki would be playing the role of Kamishiro Masato, the "beautiful devil," one of the most notable villains in our work, I was convinced that this would make for a wonderful drama. Narimiya, who exudes mysterious charm and bewitching sexiness, is truly suitable for the role of Masato. I believe we will be able to deliver the world of 'Shinuhodo Aishite' to everyone in the best possible way, and we are looking forward to it."
Producer Kobayashi Sora said he was looking for someone for the role of Masato who was "completely mysterious and enigmatic," "sexy and good-looking," and "the acting ability to express many sides to the character." He explained the reasons for casting him, saying, "Amidst all of this, we also had the connection with Amagi from the original work, but Narimiya-san came to mind. He has solid acting ability, stunning looks, and having once retired from acting, he brings with him a unique freshness and the mysteriousness that comes with it. I thought he was the perfect fit, so I asked him. I feel that only Narimiya-san at the moment could play Kamishiro Masato."
