Kimura Takuya to star in most expensive TBS drama ever, “Nankyoku Tairiku”

Today TBS has announced that they are going to broadcast a new drama in October called “Nankyoku Tairiku ~Kami no Ryouiki ni Idomunda Otoko to Inu no Monogatari~” and that it is going to be the most expensive drama serial in the history of TBS. And who else would be more appropriate for such a huge project than the drama king himself, SMAP’s Kimura Takuya.

The drama is going to be based on the true story of Japan’s First Cross-Winter Expedition in Anarctica. Kimura’s role of geologist Kuramochi is going to be quite similar to that of actor Takakura Ken in the 1983 film “Nankyoku Monogatari“, simply known as “Antarctica” in many western countries. However, it’s not going to be a complete remake.

Kimura is already more than excited about this project. “I got really ‘fired up’ whenever I read the script, but I guess it’s going to be freezing cold at the set… I’m going to challenge inaccessible areas, both in terms of the content and the filming, which is making me even more excited for this project,” he said.

The plot will focus on the 11 members of the team and their relationship with the 19 Sakhalin Huskies. Terrible weather conditions make it almost impossible for the team to return back home and they end up being forced to leave all of the dogs behind at the Shouwa Base. One year later Kuramochi and a few others returned to the base with the Third Cross-Winter Expedition and much to their surprise, two of the dogs, Taro and Jiro, were able to survive despite the harsh conditions. Their reunion with the two dogs is going to be the big emotional highlight of the drama.

The filming is going to begin in February and will take more than half a year to complete. The set for the Shouwa base will be established in Hokkaido, but the production team is also looking into the possibilities to film a couple of scenes in Antarctica.

More actors have already been announced for the cast as well. Sakai Masato is going to play Himuro, the biggest rival of Kuramochi and the man in charge for the weather observation. Other roles are going to be played by Yamamoto Yusuke, Terajima Susumu, Ogata Naoto, Kagawa Teruyuki and Shibata Kyouhei.

TBS also won’t hold back with the budget, as it is going to be their biggest project for their 60th anniversary.

As mentioned above, “Nankyoku Tairiku” is going to start airing in October. It is scheduled to air every Sunday at 9pm.

Via TokyoHive