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, is being adapted into a TV drama. It will start airing on Tokyo MX in April 2015.)
Shoku no Gunshi, which has been serializing since December 2009 in Weekly Manga Goraku (published by Nihon Bungeisha), is being adapted into a TV drama. It will start airing on Tokyo MX in April 2015. The work is written under the pen name of Masayuki Izumi, which is actually a combination of the names of the author Masayuki Kusumi, and the artist Haruki Izumi. Kusumi is also the original creator for popular series such as Kodoku no Gourmet and Hana no Zubora-Meshi, which have also been adapted into TV dramas before.
Shoku no Gunshi is a slightly unusual gourmet manga. It is about main character Ban Hongo, a self-proclaimed war tactician who is extremely particular with food and the way one “eats,” and his campaign across various restaurants pursuing his ideal aesthetic. He is not doing this for any evident reason, nor for the approval of anyone. This series has become very popular for depicting the story of a man living on his own terms, steadfast in his unique resolve.
Following Hongo’s journey, the audience is also sure to enjoy the rivalry between him and Kaoru Rikiishi, and the battle of food that develops between them. Another unique aspect of this work is how the concept of eating is drawn parallel to the war tactics depicted in the Annals of the Three Kingdoms, and the fervent drama that ensues when the “battle” commences. Even more surreal, the brilliant general of the Three Kingdoms period, Kongming (known as Shokatsuryo Komei in Japanese) himself, actually resides in the mental conscience of Hongo.
In the TV drama, Hongo will be played by Kanji Tsuda, who is currently active in numerous movies and dramas. This will be his first main role in a serialized drama. Additionally, the role of Rikiishi will be played by Sosuke Takaoka, and Kongming will be played by Eisuke Sasai. This cast announcement is also accompanied by the actors’ respective comments regarding “food.” Highlights include Tsuda’s thoughts on “standing while eating,” Takaoka’s insistence on “trying the original flavor of the food,” and Sasai’s rule of “eating healthy.” Great expectations have been riled up for the enthusiastic performance of the cast. Look forward to springtime to see how the work will be adapted on screen!
Broadcast Channel: Tokyo Metropolitan Television
Broadcast Date: April 2015
Original Creator: Masayuki Izumi (Author: Masayuki Kusumi, Artist: Haruki Izumi)
[Cast Comments]
Kanji Tsuda
**What are you particular about with “food”?**
“I like to eat while standing. After ordering, the food comes out quickly, and I eat in silence while standing…. I don’t converse or think idly while eating, I just focus on the taste. I also feel that standing while eating lets me taste the food better. If people around me are also eating silently, then even better! As a result, I love soba stands where you must stand up to eat. My favorite food in the world is soba, but I prefer stand-to-eat soba places rather than fancy soba restaurants. I don’t have much variation, and usually eat ‘tanuki soba’. No matter if summer or winter, I always have tanuki soba! It is simple and healthy, but also sort of feels like I’m eating fast food...that is what I love about tanuki soba.”
Comment Regarding the Drama:
“I love to eat, but maybe not so much at formal restaurants...food is better when its delicious and cheap. In this way, my style is similar to Hongo’s belief. Though he brags of being a ‘Strategist of Food,’ Hongo is a slightly timid man who can sometimes have the prudence of an adult, and other times carrying himself with abandon like that of a child, all the while swinging between happiness and sadness regarding ‘battle’ formation of the food in front of him. I find his character exceedingly charming. Please enjoy the lovable, ‘petty bourgeois’ Hongo, and the unfolding of his song of praise for magnificent food!”
Sosuke Takaoka
**What are you particular about with “food”?**
“I make sure I always have vegetables. I avoid using dressing, and try to always taste the original flavor of the food first. For example, I will first have a piece of gyoza or shumai without putting any sauce on it.”
Comment Regarding the Drama
“Of course I am very excited about the acting itself, but as the opposing role to Mr. Tsuda, I wish to properly convey the surrealist comedy of the source material as well as the deliciousness of the food that will be on screen.”
Eisuke Sasai
**What are you particular about with “food”?**
“Together with my aging, I have become conscious of my health. My current policy is that I can no longer eat what I want as much as I want. I have been working on my diet. As it is often said nowadays, one should start eating vegetables first, and to not have too much carbohydrates, often thinking about ‘food for health’.”
Comment Regarding the Drama
“The work is crafted with great creative effort and detail, and is a joy to perform. It doesn’t conform to the usual pattern. Though you realize it is a modern drama, characters such as the legendary Kongming appear, and amongst the thoughtful depiction of food is the unexpected battle between men as well. It is a very profound and interesting work. I have never performed a role such as Kongming, and enjoy it very much, acting as if it were a Kabuki play!”
Source: animeanime
Source article written by Katsunori Takahashi
© Masayuki Kusumi, Haruki Izumi / Nihon Bungeisha
