To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Masakazu Katsura's representative work, the live-action drama 'Wingman' will be broadcast on TV Tokyo's Drama Tuesday slot (starting October 22, airing every Tuesday at 12:30 AM; TV Osaka will start on October 25, airing every Friday at 2:40 AM) and will be exclusively available for simultaneous streaming on the video distribution service "DMM TV" (with the first episode available one week early from October 16). It has been announced that the voices of the Podreams characters in the show will be provided by voice actors Akio Otsuka, Haruka Tomatsu, and Tomokazu Seki.

The original work is Katsura's serialization debut, known for titles such as 'Video Girl Ai' and 'I"s,' which was serialized in 'Weekly Shōnen Jump' (Shueisha) from 1983 to 1985. Its style, heavily influenced by 1980s tokusatsu heroes, has garnered popularity among both genders, leading to adaptations in anime and games, captivating many fans over the years.

Now, 40 years later, the live-action adaptation features the protagonist, Kentaro Hirono, played by Maito Fujioka, a second-year high school student who transforms into "Wingman." The mysterious girl Aoi, who suddenly appears before Kentaro from the alternate dimension of Podorimese, is portrayed by Konatsu Kato. The cast surrounding Kentaro and Aoi includes Hina Kikuchi, Hiyori Katada, Amane Uehara, Jotaro, Yuno Ohara, Ui Mihara, Haruki Tachibana, Mamoru Miyano, Kurara Emi, Koji Matoba, Shinobu Nakayama, and Daikichi Sugawara.

Comments have arrived from the three newly announced voice actors. Akio Otsuka, who voices Rimel, the emperor who completely dominates Podreams and is after Aoi's Dream Note, states, “To achieve victory, I will stop at nothing, growing larger and larger... truly a villain. Look forward to the colorful characters and the unique world!” Haruka Tomatsu, who plays the assassin The Shiva sent to the three-dimensional (Earth) world by Rimel, shares, “I have previously worked with Director Koichi Sakamoto on several projects, and I was really happy to be able to collaborate again! This role was my first true villain!!! I had fun portraying this character in a way unique to a villain. Please pay attention to the flashy performances of the enemy characters!” Tomokazu Seki, who plays Doctor Lark, Aoi’s father and the developer of the Dream Note, who is imprisoned during the war in Podreams, comments, “I have loved 'Wingman' since the very first episode of the serialization! It’s a beloved work of mine! 'Wingman' undoubtedly amplified my love for tokusatsu! I am truly happy to participate in this momentous live-action adaptation!”

The released 60-second trailer showcases the scene where Kentaro, played by Fujioka, transforms into Wingman with the call of “Chain!” Enjoy the action direction, which is authentically influenced by American cinema, and the visuals that encapsulate the grand drama of the world.

Drama WINGMAN Official Web Site

Source : ORICON NEWS