Sakurai Sho and Horikita Maki to star in new drama

Arashi's Sho Sakurai (27) and actress Maki Horikita (21) will play the leads in the TBS drama series "Tokujo Kabachi!!" next season. The drama is based on the sequel to the manga "Kabachitare!," which was turned into a drama series in 2001.

Sakurai plays Katsuhiro Tamura, a young man with a strong sense of justice. Although he believes that the law isn't always right, he becomes an administrative scrivener with the goal of manipulating the law in order to protect the weak.

On the other hand, Horikita plays Misuzu Sumiyoshi, a former delinquent who hates to lose and who is now a capable scrivener. Katsuhiro and Misuzu are always at odds, but they gradually come to understand each other.

The supporting cast includes Masatoshi Nakamura, Kenichi Endo, Katsumi Takahashi, and Yuko Asano. TBS will air the drama on Sundays at 9:00pm, starting on January 17.

It is also reported that the drama plans to try out a new incentive for viewers: a quiz question will be asked during the show, and a winner chosen from the viewers who submit the correct answer will receive a phone call from Sakurai himself.

Sakurai Sho---> The Quiz Show II

Arashi's Sho Sakurai has been chosen to star in the NTV drama series "The Quiz Show." The show is a prime time version of last summer's late night drama "The Quiz Show," which starred Jin Katagiri and Shigeyuki Totsugi.



In the new version, Sakurai plays the host of a live TV quiz program. On the show, contestants who achieve 7 correct answers win 10 million yen, and those who get 8 correct answers will have one of their wishes granted by the TV network. But while the questions start off innocently enough, as the game progresses, the questions gradually delve into the contestants' past crimes or indiscretions, presenting them with the dilemma of having to confess their guilt in order to win.

Sakurai's character also has a mysterious past. Before becoming the show's host, an accident had left him in a vegetative state for six years, which also resulted in him losing most of his memories.

The supporting cast includes Kanjani8's Yu Yokoyama as the show's director, Aya Matsuura as a rookie assistant director, and Miki Maya as the producer. Broadcast begins on April 18 in NTV's Saturday 9pm time slot.